John W. Duarte
Encyclopedia
John William Duarte was a British
composer
, guitarist
and writer.
Duarte was born in Sheffield
, England
, but lived in Manchester
from the age of 6. Although his surname, Duarte
, is of Portuguese origin, he considered himself 100% British — his father was Scottish and his mother was English — a fact that echoed throughout his music
. Duarte's English Suite, op. 31, a three-movement work for the guitar
, reflects the Renaissance
style of court lute
nists such as John Dowland
and John Johnson
.
(1931–35) and Manchester University Faculty of Technology (1936–40). He worked as a professional chemist until 1969, then abandoned chemistry in favour of full-time dedication to music
. His only formal musical education consisted in jazz
guitar lessons with Terence "Terry" Usher (1934–36); the rest he learned by self-instruction. He also worked professionally as a player of the trumpet
and double bass
, performing music of many kinds, and regularly worked as a jazz
musician until 1953. He sustained several lasting friendships with great musicians, including a 39-year-long relationship with Andrés Segovia
and another with Ida Presti
, who died prematurely at the age of 42. He played the double bass on occasion in the company of Coleman Hawkins
and Django Reinhardt
.
of nearly 150 works for the guitar and lute (many commissioned with funds provided by the Arts Council of Great Britain
and other sources). Most have been published and 57 have been commercially recorded by 58 artists and/or ensembles in 24 countries, some several times. His Appalachian Dreams op.121 was recorded by Sharon Isbin
on her 2001 Grammy Award winning album Dreams of a World. He also made many arrangements (several also recorded), and wrote a number of didactic works, including an introduction to harmony for guitarists.
, concerts and recordings of many kinds (specializing in Baroque
music) with Gramophone, Music Teacher and Classical Guitar, and the author of numerous concert programme notes and about 250 liner notes for records of various kinds, including those for the complete reissue of Julian Bream
's recordings for RCA (28 compact discs). He received a Grammy Award
for his annotation to the reissue of Segovia's recordings of 1927-39. He contributed regularly to Music in Education, Guitar Review, Guitar International, Music & Musicians, Records and Recording and Performance, and contributed to the revised edition of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
John W. Duarte died on 23 December 2004, after a long battle with cancer
. He was survived by his wife, Dorothy, whom he married in 1943, and by two sons and a daughter.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, guitarist
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
and writer.
Duarte was born in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, but lived in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
from the age of 6. Although his surname, Duarte
Duarte
Duarte is also a surname and could refer to a number of people:*Portuguese Royalty**Edward of Portugal , King of Portugal, 1433-1438...
, is of Portuguese origin, he considered himself 100% British — his father was Scottish and his mother was English — a fact that echoed throughout his music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. Duarte's English Suite, op. 31, a three-movement work for the guitar
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
, reflects the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
style of court lute
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
nists such as John Dowland
John Dowland
John Dowland was an English Renaissance composer, singer, and lutenist. He is best known today for his melancholy songs such as "Come, heavy sleep" , "Come again", "Flow my tears", "I saw my Lady weepe" and "In darkness let me dwell", but his instrumental music has undergone a major revival, and has...
and John Johnson
John Johnson (composer)
John Johnson was an English lutenist, composer of songs and lute music, attached to the court of Queen Elizabeth I. He was the father of the lutenist and composer Robert Johnson.-Discography:...
.
Education
Duarte was educated at Manchester Central High SchoolManchester Academy (Moss Side)
Manchester Academy is a non-selective co-educational secondary school within the English Academy programme, in Moss Side, Manchester.-Admissions:It is run by the United Learning Trust, a subsidiary of the United Church Schools Trust...
(1931–35) and Manchester University Faculty of Technology (1936–40). He worked as a professional chemist until 1969, then abandoned chemistry in favour of full-time dedication to music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. His only formal musical education consisted in jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
guitar lessons with Terence "Terry" Usher (1934–36); the rest he learned by self-instruction. He also worked professionally as a player of the trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
and double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, performing music of many kinds, and regularly worked as a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician until 1953. He sustained several lasting friendships with great musicians, including a 39-year-long relationship with Andrés Segovia
Andrés Segovia
Andrés Torres Segovia, 1st Marquis of Salobreña , known as Andrés Segovia, was a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Jaén, Andalucia, Spain...
and another with Ida Presti
Ida Presti
Ida Presti, was a French classical guitarist. She has been called ‘the greatest guitarist of the 20th century, and possibly of all time.’-Biography:...
, who died prematurely at the age of 42. He played the double bass on occasion in the company of Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was one of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
and Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture...
.
Works
Duarte was the composerComposer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of nearly 150 works for the guitar and lute (many commissioned with funds provided by the Arts Council of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and other sources). Most have been published and 57 have been commercially recorded by 58 artists and/or ensembles in 24 countries, some several times. His Appalachian Dreams op.121 was recorded by Sharon Isbin
Sharon Isbin
Sharon Isbin is a widely-recorded American classical guitarist, recording artist, concertizer, and the founder of the Guitar Department at the Juilliard School.-Early life and education:...
on her 2001 Grammy Award winning album Dreams of a World. He also made many arrangements (several also recorded), and wrote a number of didactic works, including an introduction to harmony for guitarists.
Articles published
Duarte was a regular contributor to the magazine Soundboard, an interviewer and reviewer of books, musicMusic
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, concerts and recordings of many kinds (specializing in Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
music) with Gramophone, Music Teacher and Classical Guitar, and the author of numerous concert programme notes and about 250 liner notes for records of various kinds, including those for the complete reissue of Julian Bream
Julian Bream
Julian Bream, CBE is an English classical guitarist and lutenist and is one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of the 20th century. He has also been successful in renewing popular interest in the Renaissance lute....
's recordings for RCA (28 compact discs). He received a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for his annotation to the reissue of Segovia's recordings of 1927-39. He contributed regularly to Music in Education, Guitar Review, Guitar International, Music & Musicians, Records and Recording and Performance, and contributed to the revised edition of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
John W. Duarte died on 23 December 2004, after a long battle with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. He was survived by his wife, Dorothy, whom he married in 1943, and by two sons and a daughter.