Edward Joseph Dent facts for kids
Edward Joseph Dent (born July 16, 1876 – died August 22, 1957) was an important English music expert, teacher, and writer. People usually called him Edward J. Dent. He was a leading figure in the study of music and music criticism. From 1926 to 1941, he was a Professor of Music at the University of Cambridge.
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About Edward J. Dent
His Early Life and Studies
Edward Dent was born in Ribston, Yorkshire. His father, John Dent, was a landowner and politician. Edward went to school at Bilton Grange and Eton College. There, he studied music with Charles Harford Lloyd.
In 1895, he started studying at King's College, Cambridge. He earned his first degree in 1898 and a music degree in 1899. He studied with famous composers like Charles Wood and Charles Villiers Stanford. In 1902, he became a Fellow of his college. This showed he was a talented researcher and composer.
His Work and Influence
Edward Dent taught music at Cambridge University from 1926 to 1941. Some of his students became well-known musicians, including Arthur Bliss and Arnold Cooke.
He was also very active in international music groups. He was the President of the International Society for Contemporary Music (I.S.C.M.) from when it started in 1922 until 1938. He also led the International Music Society from 1931 to 1949.
Dent was a leader at Sadler's Wells Opera. He translated many opera stories, called libretti, into English. This helped more people enjoy operas. He wrote important books about composers like Alessandro Scarlatti, Ferruccio Busoni, Handel, and Mozart. He also wrote about English operas.
His Legacy
Edward Dent passed away in London when he was 81 years old.
The music writer Arthur Jacobs praised Dent's opera translations. He said Dent's translations were much better than most others. Dent believed that opera should be for everyone. He strongly supported performing operas in English. He thought the whole show was most important, not just individual stars. He wrote that he cared more about the opera itself and its performance than about single parts.
The character Philip Herriton in E. M. Forster's book Where Angels Fear to Tread was based on Edward Dent. He was also good friends with the singer Clive Carey. They wrote over 400 letters to each other. A book called Duet for Two Voices was written about their friendship in 1979. A new book about Dent by Karen Arrandale came out in 2023.
Selected Publications
- Alessandro Scarlatti, his life and works, 1905.
- Mozart's operas, 1913.
- Foundations of English opera
- Ferruccio Busoni
- A life of Handel
- Opera. Penguin, 1940.
See also
In Spanish: Edward Joseph Dent para niños
