Matthew Dubourg (1707–1767), was an Irish violinist, conductor, and composer. Dubourg also enjoys the distinction of having led the orchestra at the premiere of Georg Friedrich Handel's great oratorio Messiah.
Dubourg gave his first violin concerts as a child, the very first being at Thomas Britton's house. At age 11, he furthered his studies under the celebrated Italian violinist, composer, and music theorist Francesco Geminiani.
Dubourg served ...
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Matthew Dubourg (1707–1767), was an Irish violinist, conductor, and composer. Dubourg also enjoys the distinction of having led the orchestra at the premiere of Georg Friedrich Handel's great oratorio Messiah.
Dubourg gave his first violin concerts as a child, the very first being at Thomas Britton's house. At age 11, he furthered his studies under the celebrated Italian violinist, composer, and music theorist Francesco Geminiani.
Dubourg served as concert-master from 1728 to 1752 in Dublin. His official title was Master and Composer of State Music of Dublin. He was a major force in the musical life of Dublin together with Geminiani whom he invited to join him. In 1752, Dubourg became Master of the Royal Chapel in London, a post he occupied until his death in 1767.
Of a concert in 1742 conducted by Handel, the following anecdote was told: Dubourg played a cadenza in which he wandered far from the theme creating complex modulations of it. When he finally returned to the original theme,...
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