Winton Dean facts for kids
Winton Basil Dean (born March 18, 1916 – died December 19, 2013) was an English music expert. He was best known for studying the life and music of George Frideric Handel. He especially focused on Handel's operas and oratorios, which are like musical plays or stories told with music. His famous book, Handel's Dramatic Oratorios and Masques, was published in 1959.
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Early Life and Education
Winton Basil Dean was born in Birkenhead, England, in March 1916. His father, Basil Dean, was a well-known producer for films and theater. Winton went to Harrow and then to King's College, Cambridge University. While at Cambridge in the 1930s, he helped put on performances of Handel's oratorios.
A Career in Music Writing
After World War II, Dean became a notable writer about music. He started by publishing articles about the music of Bizet, a French composer. His first article on Bizet, called La Coupe du roi de Thulé, appeared in the magazine Music & Letters in 1947.
He later rewrote his 1948 book about Bizet in 1965. This was because new information and music by Bizet had been discovered. From 1965 onwards, he wrote articles that criticized a specific edition of Bizet's famous opera, Carmen. He found many mistakes in it, calling it "a musicological disaster." He continued to point out these errors when new performances or recordings of Carmen came out.
In 1954, Dean wrote a long essay about 'criticism' for the Grove Dictionary. This essay explained what qualities a good music critic should have.
Focusing on Handel
Even though he wrote about Bizet, George Frideric Handel became Dean's main focus. Besides his first book, he also published Handel and the Opera Seria in 1969. Later, he wrote a more general book called Essays on Opera in 1990.
His most important work on Handel was a two-volume set about Handel's operas. These books were published in 1987 and 2006. They set new high standards for studying Handel's music. His work greatly helped bring Handel's operas back to the stage for people to enjoy.
Contributions to Music Studies
Winton Dean wrote many articles for important music publications. These included The Musical Times and Opera. He also wrote for The Listener and provided notes for record albums.
His writings covered topics like French Opera and Italian Opera from before Verdi became famous. However, he is most respected for his detailed studies of Handel's music. His book Handel’s Dramatic Oratorios and Masques is considered a very important work. It is valued not just for Handel studies but for musicology in general. This is because it looked closely at original documents and thoroughly explored the topic.
Winton Basil Dean passed away in Hambledon, Surrey, in December 2013. He was 97 years old.
