John Dalley
John Dalley | |
---|---|
Born | Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. | March 3, 1935
Education | Curtis Institute of Music |
Occupation | Classical violinist |
John Dalley (born 3 March 1935 in Madison, Wisconsin) is an American violinist. He was raised in a musical family. His father was an orchestra conductor, violinist, composer, instrumental teacher, and music educator. His mother, from Bloomington, Illinois, was a cellist, music teacher, and music publisher.[1]
Early history
He is the son of Orien Emil Dalley and Gretchen Smoot. Orien Dalley is nationally recognized for his work in assisting Dr. Joseph E. Maddy to organize the National High School Orchestra in Michigan, a massive project that provided the impetus for the Interlochen National Music Camp, now Interlochen Center for the Arts. He was one of the original faculty at Interlochen. John's parents had met during Orien's early association with the National High School Orchestra. The couple had four children, Nielsen, John, Melinda, and Elaine. The entire family has had close ties with Interlochen, with Gretchen as cello instructor and program director, and Orien teaching violin and conducting at Interlochen. Three of Orien and Gretchen's grandchildren grew up as summer camp students there. Orien Dalley was the first conductor of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, until 1949, when he left for Michigan. He is listed as the fifth symphony conductor with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra between 1952 and 1955.[2]
Childhood and education
At 18, Dalley entered the prestigious
After graduation from Curtis, Dalley joined the faculty at the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio and played second violin in the resident string quartet, while performing regularly in recital and as soloist with orchestra. Eventually he moved to New York City where he free-lanced, then joined the short-lived American String Quartet with the cellist David Soyer."[4]
John Dalley, American violinist
Dalley began playing the violin when he was three years old[5] with his father as his first teacher. His early studies were under Virgil Person at College of Emporia. "During his formative years, his father held a number of positions in different parts of the country, exposing the young violinist to many musical influences."[6]
With his family's stay in Wichita, Kansas, during his father's tenure with the Wichita Symphony, Dalley played in his junior high school orchestra. As a teenager, he participated as a violinist in the annual all-state school musical competitions for youth orchestras, bands and choral groups under the direction of Dr. Joseph E. Maddy. At that time Wichita and nearby Winfield were communities blessed with a commitment to music in their schools. Beginning instrumental classes started in grade school, and junior high school orchestras and bands gave students a real first taste of group and solo performance. High school concert orchestra and concert band, and marching and pep band let students continue in their formal music education and in the performing arts. At this time, Wichita was the largest city in Kansas, and nearby Winfield was just a small town. As good as Wichita was, Winfield was even greater in its musical education. Winfield had a long history of musical greatness in education due to the time when Maddy was in Winfield directing its high school music program. Later, Howard Halgedahl, a world class bassoon player, directed the high school music program in Winfield. Howard Taubman stated in the New York Times, "Do we, in the East, realize that the town of Winfield, Kansas, population 12,500, has one of the most admirable high school orchestras in nation?".[7] Halgedahl was principal bassoonist with the Wichita Symphony at the time that Dalley's father was conductor. Maddy, Orien Dalley and Halgedahl all left strong imprints on Kansas music education and at the National Music Camp, as teachers and mentors in the hearts and minds of the youthful students who were privileged to attend. Wichita Municipal University (now Wichita State University) was well known for its ambitious educational programs in performing arts and in the education of future music teachers. In the 1950s, the Wichita Symphony was ranked very high among the professional symphonies in the U.S..[citation needed] The excellent musicianship of some local students while still in high school earned them performing places within the ranks of the professional Wichita Symphony Orchestra. Among young musician friends, a union card for work in the symphony proudly proclaimed status as a profession musician.[4]
Dalley held teaching positions at the
Oberlin String Quartet
The Oberlin String Quartet was formed in 1955 by the violinist Andor Toth who was a member of the Oberlin faculty from 1955. The other members were Matthew Raimondi (violin), William Berman (viola) and John Frazer (cello). In 1957, Dalley joined the quartet. In summer 1958, the quartet won a bronze medal in the Concours International de Quatuor sponsored by H.M. Queen Elizabeth Music Competition in Liege, Belgium.[9]
Guarneri Quartet
Dalley was a regular participant at the
Hearing the quartet perform in 1964, the
Dalley's violin and performances
Dalley plays a
European chamber ensembles usually had a leader, to whom all the others looked to for direction. In these, the second violinist was often considered to be not quite as good as the first violinist. The Guarneri quartet took a different tack. The first violinist was not the leader. All of the members were the leaders, depending on the circumstance. All had equal say in decisions. Arnold Steinhardt said at the end of the quartet's forty-five year run, "This is an extraordinarily difficult task before us, to realize the masterpieces in our repertoire to any satisfaction. Some of it is virtuoso work, and some is work that a watchmaker might do, requiring the most delicate precision movement of ensemble and intonation and artistry. It doesn't get any easier with time."[19] Dalley found himself comfortable in the second chair. "I've always liked where I've been," he asserted. "I was not really happy playing solos. It wasn't my bag."[19] From time to time Dailey has traded off with Steinhardt to play first violin in piano quartets with the likes of Artur Rubenstein. Later the group spent almost two seasons playing nothing but piano quartets with Dalley in the violin seat while Steinhardt recovered from surgery on his arm.[19] Dalley could also switch to playing viola should the occasion call require.
Dalley performed extensively in thousands of performances with the Guarneri — over 3,000 by 1998.[18] Since the quartet was disbanded in 2009, he has appeared in recital or as soloist in many cities and as a teacher in master classes. These performances have taken him to Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and other parts of Asia, and widely throughout the United States. He has performed in famous concert halls throughout the world, in venerable old music schools, high school and college auditoriums, and many other places, such as the informal beach house at Half Moon Bay in Northern California where, in November 1964, he was a featured performer at one of the San Francisco Bay Area's much loved, but quirky Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society.[20]
John Dalley, bow maker
When he could not find a violin bow worthy of his instrument, to bring out the best qualities of his Nicolas Lupot violin, Dalley expanded his skills by becoming a superb archetier — one who makes bows for stringed instruments. Dalley has become world-famous for the quality and meticulously fine craftsmanship of his hand-made bows for stringed instruments. In a sales catalogue, one of his violin bows is described as having an "exquisitely crafted Brazilian pernambuco shaft, elegant silk wrapping and a diamond-shaped inlaid frog".[21] Fellow quartet member Steinhardt is quoted: "There are only a few great violinists and only a few great bow makers in the world. I know of only one person who possesses both these rare attributes -- John Dalley. This puts him in the unique position to make bows of both great craft and remarkable playing ability. It has been my deep pleasure to play on one of John's artfully made violin bows."[21] Another testimonial is from Amadee Williams, the violist and author of Lillian Fuch, First Lady of the Viola: "My teacher and mentor, Lillian Fuch, often said to me, "Deary -- It's the bow, the bow!" She was absolutely correct in making that remark. However, good bow technique also requires a good bow. The problem is finding one. John Dalley's bows are just "those" bows. They are finely crafted and produce an unusually warm sound. His understanding of violin playing has made him one of the best modern bow makers."[21] Dalley brings his meticulous attention to detail and love of aesthetics to his bows that he has brought to his playing. He cites the master bow maker William Salchow[22] and the late assistant principal cellist of the Metropolitan Opera and master bow makerGerald Kagan[23] as influences on his own bow making.[21] Dalley's craft and skill produce violin bows that are in high demand because of their quality and rarity. In 1997, when the first violinist Steinhardt wrote his book about the quartet, he stated that the finest bows made by the great bow makers could sell for upwards of $100,000 each. All bows are not alike. The bow is matched to the artist's technique and to the instrument being played, and even to arm length and strength.[24]
Dalley married Nancy Pallesen,[25] a flautist who he met when she was studying with William Kincaid (principal flautist, Philadelphia Orchestra at the Curtis Institute of Music in 1958).[26] When he is not concertizing, John divides his time between Haworth, New Jersey[27] and Northern Michigan.[28]
Recordings
The Guarneri String Quartet has made numerous recordings during its long history, including some of the most important works in the string quartet and chamber music literature. They recorded for Arabesque, RCA Red Seal, Philips, Sony and Surroundedby.[29] The Guarneri String Quartet has recorded for Surroundedby Entertainment, which released a CD in spring 2001 of Quartets by Ravel, Debussy and Fauré. Several of its recordings on both RCA Red Seal and Philips have won international awards, including its recent[when?] recording of Juan Crisostomo de Arriaga's String Quartet Nos. 1-3 (Philips), which won the 1996 Deutsche Schallplattenkritik Award in Germany. Among its other award-winning recordings are collaborations with such artists as Artur Rubinstein, Pinchas Zukerman and Boris Kroyt and Mischa Schneider of the Budapest Quartet.[30]
- Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga – Complete String Quartets
- Béla Bartók – Complete String Quartets
- Ludwig van Beethoven – Complete String Quartets (recorded twice: on RCA and Philips), String Quintet in C Op. 29 (with Pinchas Zukerman)
- Alexander Borodin – String Quartet No. 2
- Artur Rubinstein),
- Claude Debussy – String Quartet (recorded twice: on RCA and on Surroundedby Entertainment)
- Ernő Dohnányi– String Quartet No. 2 in D flat on Sony
- Artur Rubinstein), Quartet in C Op. 61, Quartet No. 12 in F Op. 96 ("American"), Quartet in G Op. 106, in A flat Op. 105, Viola Quintet in E flat Op. 97 (with Walter Trampler), Terzetto Op. 74
- Artur Rubinstein)
- Edvard Grieg – String Quartet in G Op. 27 (recorded twice: on RCA and Philips)
- Joseph Haydn – String Quartets in D Op. 20 No. 4, in G Op. 74 No. 3, in G Op. 77 No. 1, in F Op. 77 No. 2
- Hans Werner Henze – Piano Quintet (with Peter Serkin)
- Leoš Janáček – Complete String Quartets
- Felix Mendelssohn – String Quartet in A minor Op. 13, String Quartet in D Op. 44 No. 1, Viola Quintet in B flat Op. 87 (with Pinchas Zukerman), Octet in E flat Op. 20 (with the Orion String Quartet)
- Artur Rubinstein), Eine kleine Nachtmusik (with Julius Levine), 6 String Quartets dedicated to Joseph Haydn (recorded twice: for RCA and Philips) (in G K387, in D K421, in E K428, in B flat K458, in A K464, in C K465), String Quartet in D K499, String Quartet in D K575, String Quartet in B flat K589, String Quartet in F K590, The Complete Viola Quintets (with Ida Kavafian, Steven Tenenbom, and Kim Kashkashian)
- Maurice Ravel – String Quartet (recorded twice: for RCA and Surroundedby Entertainment)
- Franz Schubert – String Quartets in A D804 (recorded twice: for RCA and Arabesque), in C "Quartettsatz", in D D810 "Death and the Maiden" (recorded twice: for RCA and Arabesque), in G D887, String Quintet in C D956 (with Bernie Greenhouse), "Trout" Quintet D667 (with Emanuel Ax and Julius Levine)
- Artur Rubinstein)
- Voces intimae
- Bedřich Smetana – String Quartet in E minor ("From my Life")
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – String Quartet No. 1 in D Op. 11, "Souvenir de Florence" Sextet Op. 70 (with Boris Kroyt and Mischa Schneider)
- Giuseppe Verdi – String Quartet in E minor
- Italian Serenade
Dalley has made recordings with other notable artists, such as
Films
- 1989: High Fidelity – The Guarneri String Quartet, directed by Allan Miller, who was also the director/producer of the Academy Award-winning documentary, From Mozart to Mao, which dealt with the violinist Isaac Stern's visit to China[31] and produced by Desmond Ryan. Inquirer Movie Critic on June 20, 1990, reviewed the film documentary about the Guarneri Quartet. "A Probing into Advice and Consent": "The string quartet is an enduring metaphor of harmony, teamwork and the subordination of ego in the interest of a common goal. Its 20th century repertoire may offer pieces filled with abrasive dissonance, but can there be no room for dissent? . . . A resounding yes. . . . Miller, whose special flair for communicating the intimacies and reach of great music made from Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China so memorable, here ups the ante and takes up the issue of fiddlers four."[32]
Television
In summer 1990, the Guarneri Quartet members were interviewed by Charles Kuralt on CBS's nationwide television program, Sunday Morning.[33]
Videos
- Brahms Klavierquartett in G minor 1 op 25 with Mikhail Rudy (piano), John Dalley (violin), Michael Tree (viola) and David Soyer (cello) (string members of the Guarneri Quartet)[34]
- Beethoven Op. 130 Mvt. V. Cavatina, with Guarneri Quartet, Arnold Steinhardt (first violin), John Dalley (second violin), Michael tree (viola) and David Soyer (cello)[35] recording released in 2003, remastered from recording made in the 1960s.
Guarneri Quartet awards
- 2010: The Alumni Award, Curtis Institute of Music
- 2010: Grammy Award, Best Chamber Music for the Hungarian Album
- 2005: The Ford Honors Award, University of Michigan University Musical Society
- 2004: The Richard J. Bogomolny National Service Award, Chamber Music America.
- 1992: The Association of Performing Arts Presentersin New York City.
- 1983: Honorary Doctorate degrees by the State University of New York.
- 1982: The New York City Seal of Recognition, presented by Mayor Ed Koch.
- 1976: Honorary Doctorate degrees by the University of South Florida
Related publications
- ISBN 0-394-53985-0.
- Gretchen Dalley, Songs for Strings, Solo, Duet, Trio, Neil A. Kjos Music Publisher, USA, 1950.
- I. Fink & C. Merriell with the Guarneri String Quartet (1985). String Quartet Playing, New Jersey: ISBN 0-86622-007-0
- ISBN 0-690-01944-0
- ISBN 0-374-23670-4.
References
- ^ Gretchen Dalley,Songs for Strings: Solo, Duet, Trio, Neil A Kjos Music Publisher, USA.1950
- ^ "History of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra | Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra". Archived from the original on 2013-03-24. Retrieved 2013-04-10.
- ^ "Curtis Institute of Music : Artistic Leadership". Archived from the original on 2013-03-11. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
- ^ ISBN 0-374-52700-8
- ^ Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival Archived 2011-07-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 0-374-52700-8
- ^ Howard Halgedahl biog, Beach Hall of Distinction, Department of Music, Emporia State University
- ^ a b Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Oberlin Conservatory of Music". 29 July 2016.
- ISBN 0-374-52700-8
- ^ Washington Post.
- ^ Guarneri Quartet Archived 2012-11-13 at the Wayback Machine, ARTVOICE Weekly Edition
- ^ ARTVOICE Weekly Edition, Issue V819 May 6, 2009 Guarneri Quartet. "Opera & Classical," TimeOut Chicago, October 28, 2008
- Washington Post
- ^ Arnold Steinhardt, "Indivisible by Four: A String Quartet in Pursuit of Harmony", New York Times
- ^ "Guarneri Quartet Takes a Final Bow"
- ISBN 0-374-52700-8
- ^ ISBN 0-374-52700-8
- ^ a b c Reel, James. "Guarneri Quartet Takes a Final Bow". All Things Strongs. Retrieved 17 Feb 2014.
- ^ "Partial List of the Principal Classical Artists Who Have Performed at the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society" (PDF). Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society. November 2004. p. 2. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
- ^ a b c d BOWS
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-09-14. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Gerald Kagan obituary
- ISBN 0-374-52700-8
- ISBN 0-374-52700-8
- ^ "Curtis Institute of Music : Full Alumni Listing". Archived from the original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
- ^ Potter, Beth. "Haworth's Notable Characters", Haworth, New Jersey. Accessed December 4, 2014.
- ^ Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival[permanent dead link]
- ^ "John Dalley Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.
- ^ "Guarneri Quartet". Friends of Chamber Music of Miami. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03.
- ^ "Friends of Chamber Music of Miami - Guarneri Quartet". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- ^ articles.philly.com/keyword/john-dalley
- ^ Internet Cello Society
- ^ "Brahms Klavierquartett nr 1 op 25 Mikhail Rudy, Guarneri Quartet.avi". YouTube. 23 May 2012. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
- ^ "Guarneri Quartet: Beethoven Op. 130 Mvt. V. Cavatina". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.