John Lemmone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Lemmone |
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John Lemmone and Nellie Melba at Bilgola, 23 September 1914.
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| Background information | |
| Born | June 22, 1861 Ballarat, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | August 16, 1949 (aged 88) Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Soloist, accompanist |
| Instruments | Flute |
| Associated acts | Janet Monach Patey Allan James Foley Charles Santley Pablo de Sarasate |
John Lemmone (born June 22, 1861 – died August 16, 1949) was a fantastic Australian flute player and composer. He taught himself how to play the flute. When he was just 12 years old, he bought his first flute with gold he found himself! He had a very successful career playing music all over the world. He played with famous singers like Nellie Melba and Adelina Patti, and even with the famous pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Later in his life, he became Nellie Melba's manager.
A Musical Start
John Lemmone was born in Ballarat, Australia. His father was a Greek immigrant, and his mother was from England. Music was important in his family. John first learned to play the tin whistle. Then he moved on to the fife, playing in a local band. When he was 12, he found enough gold on the Ballarat goldfields to buy his very own flute.
The next year, his family moved to Melbourne. As a teenager, John played in many theatre orchestras in Melbourne. He was the main flute player for Lyster's Royal Italian Opera Company. In 1884, he played his first solo concert. A young singer named Helen Mitchell also sang at this concert. She later became the famous Nellie Melba, and they would work together a lot.
Playing Around the World
In 1887, John Lemmone changed his name slightly to Lemmone. He then toured Australia and Asia with a singer named Amy Sherwin. In 1889, he married Isabella Stewart. Over the next few years, he toured again with other famous musicians. These included singers Janet Monach Patey, Allan James Foley, and Charles Santley, as well as the violinist Pablo de Sarasate.
John met Nellie Melba again in London in 1894. By this time, Melba was very well known in Europe. She had sung at famous places like Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera. His connection with her helped his career a lot. He played flute parts (called obbligatos) with her at fancy parties and concerts in London. He also performed with Adelina Patti in Albert Hall and toured with her. In 1896, he toured South Africa with Amy Sherwin.
Manager and Performer
When John returned to Australia in 1897, he started a new part of his career. He became a manager for international artists. He managed famous pianists like Mark Hambourg and Paderewski, and of course, Nellie Melba. He also helped choose international performers for a big opera season in 1911.
Even though he was managing, he still loved to perform. After he came back from Europe, he played at a special party. A newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald, wrote that his playing was wonderful. They said he could show "the delightful trill of the nightingale, and the restless fluttering of the butterfly."
John Lemmone kept playing as a soloist. He even performed on the radio as late as 1938. But managing was his main job. During the First World War, he organized concerts in Australia and England. These concerts raised money to help with the war effort, and he didn't take any payment for his work.
John's first wife, Isabella, passed away in 1943. He remarried later that same year. John Lemmone died in Darlinghurst, Sydney, in 1949. He was 88 years old.
His Special Flute
John Lemmone played a special flute called a Radcliff flute. It sounded like a Boehm flute, which is common today, but it had a different way of playing the notes. After he died, his flute was given to his friend and former student, Victor McMahon. In 1986, McMahon gave the flute to the National Film and Sound Archive. Now, it is kept at the Arts Centre Melbourne, in their Performing Arts Collection.
