Role

:

Composer

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

October 2, 1919 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

Death

:

December 23, 2004 in Manchester, England

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

John W. Duarte was a British classical music composer, guitarist, and musicologist. He was born on October 2, 1919, in Sheffield, England, to a family of musicians. His father, William John Duarte, was a guitarist and composer, and his mother, Florence, was a pianist. John W. Duarte showed an early interest in music and began playing the guitar at the age of six. Duarte's musical education began at the Sheffield Music School, where he studied guitar, piano, and music theory. He later attended the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied composition with Herbert Howells and guitar with Dr. Boris Perott. Duarte also studied with the renowned Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia, who had a significant influence on his music. Duarte's early compositions were mainly for the guitar, and he quickly gained recognition as a talented composer. In 1954, he won the prestigious Ivor Mairants Guitar Award for his composition "English Suite." This award helped to establish Duarte's reputation as a composer and guitarist. Duarte's compositions for the guitar were characterized by their technical virtuosity and their use of traditional English folk melodies. He was also known for his arrangements of classical music for the guitar, including works by Bach, Handel, and Mozart. Duarte's arrangements were highly regarded for their faithfulness to the original works and their suitability for the guitar. In addition to his work as a composer and guitarist, Duarte was also a musicologist. He wrote extensively on the history and technique of the guitar, and his books and articles were highly regarded by guitarists and music scholars alike. Duarte's most significant contribution to musicology was his research into the music of the Elizabethan era. He discovered and transcribed many works from this period, which had been lost or forgotten. Duarte's compositions for the guitar continued to gain recognition throughout his career. In 1972, he was awarded the OBE (Order of the British Empire) for his services to music. In 1983, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, one of the highest honors in British music. Duarte's most famous composition is probably his "English Suite," which he wrote in 1951. The suite consists of six movements, each based on a traditional English folk melody. The suite is characterized by its technical virtuosity and its use of complex harmonies and rhythms. The suite has become a staple of the guitar repertoire and is widely regarded as one of the greatest works for the instrument. Duarte's other notable compositions for the guitar include his "Sonata for Guitar," his "Variations on a Catalan Folk Song," and his "Suite in F Major." Duarte also wrote several works for other instruments, including his "Concerto for Flute and Strings" and his "Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra." Duarte continued to compose and perform music until his death on December 23, 2004, at the age of 85. His contributions to the guitar repertoire and to musicology have had a lasting impact on the world of classical music. Today, his music is still performed and studied by guitarists and music scholars around the world.

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