Jan Lodewijk (Louis) Dülcken
(Amsterdam 9 augustus 1761 – † München 1836)
Sophie Lebrun
(London 20 Juli 1781 – † München 23 Juli 1863)
"Nomina Sponsoru[m] Dülken, seu Dälken dessen Revalidation m[a]t[ri]m[on]ii ____ x Lebrun
Dies Mensis 27. Decembris An[n]o 1799
Ludovicus Dülken churf[ürstlicher] Hof-Instrumen[ten]macher, acatholicus, des Ludovicus Dülken k[öniglich] französischen Instrumenten machers, dann Anna dessen Eheweib beiden seelig, ehlicher Sohn, mit Sophia Lebrun, des Ludovicus Lebrun churf[ürstlichen] Hofmusikus, dann Francisca dessen Eheweib seelig, ehelichen Tochter. Testes: Theobald Marchand churf[ürstlicher] Theater-Director, Franz Danzi c[h]u[r]f[ürs]t[licher] Kapelmeister, tempore vetito cum dispensatione denuntiationu[m]”.
Click on the video above, featuring a song by Danzi/Marchand, to hear an original Louis Dulcken instrument from 1815.
27 mei 2025 BEIERS NATIONAAL MUSEUM - Paula Bär-Giese soprano & pianist
Madame Danzi (née Margaretha Marchand): "Dir nach 'oh' die ich liebe"- Louis Dulcken fortepiano 1815
Madame Danzi (née Margaretha Marchand): "Dir nach 'oh' die ich liebe"- Louis Dulcken fortepiano Paula Bär-Giese soprano & pianist Margaretha Marchand After the death of his wife, Leopold Mozart occasionally took students into his home, including Heinrich and Margarethe Marchand. April, 1782, Leopold wrote: ‘My son is in Vienna and is remaining there [...] Meanwhile I am having a pleasant time with two pupils whom I am instructing, the twelve-year- old son and the fourteen-year-old daughter of Herr Marchand, theatrical manager in Munich. I hope to make a great violinist and clavier player out of the boy and a good singer and excellent clavier player out of the girl.’ The family correspondence reveals that Leopold had a great concern for his students and their ‘ups and downs’. Leopold must have enjoyed being able to pass on his experiences and to have gifted students under his care once again. The children were also very attached to him; Margarethe even called him ‘dearest Papa’. Leopold continued to follow Gretl’s singing career after she had left his care, and he frequently sent proud reports to Nannerl. On 19 November, 1784: ‘Gretl sang splendidly, and received from the elector, who talked to her afterwards, and then from Maestro Prat etc. and all [the others] the greatest acclaim. You know that they have been longing to know here who was to become 2nda Donna, since Lisel Wendling declined to do the 2nda Donna opposite Mme le Brun, especially because this time it [is] an insignificant part with two very short ariettas. Louis Jr Dulcken received an education from his father in Hasselt, Antwerp and Paris but, via Hamburg, started working as a piano builder in Munich at the invitation of the Elector Karl Theodor. In 1799, he married the soprano & pianist Sophie Lebrun. Present at their wedding was the soprano, pianist and composer Margaretha Danzi, born Marchand. Sophie Dülcken-Lebrun (20 July 1781 – 23 July 1863) was a German pianist and composer, the daughter of Munich court oboist Ludwig August Lebrun and singer and composer Francesca Lebrun (born Danzi). Sophie Lebrun was born in London while her mother was on tour. She studied singing with her uncle, composer Franz Danzi, and piano with Andreas Streicher. After completing her studies, Sophie Lebrun toured in Europe and became a well-known singer & concert pianist. She married Munich court piano maker J.L. Dülcken in 1799 A Mannheim Family of Musicians: the Danzis & Self-accompanied singing. Mozart liked the Mannheimers more than the people in Salzburg: the Mannheimers were, in any case, real music professionals, while most of the Salzburgers were just semi-professionals or simple amateurs, often even of bad level. The Mannheim family of the Danzis was that kind of family of music professionals of high level Mozart wanted to be in connection with. The old Danzi was Innocenz Danzi, the famous first cellist at the Mannheim Court since 1754 and whose playing Mozart admired very much. In the winter of 1780, Mozart was commissioned by the elector Karl Theodor to write an opera, Idomeneo. The first performances took place at the Residenztheater in Munich on 29 January 1781. Mozart lavished high praise on Innocenz Danzi for his cello performance at the premiere of Idomeneo. Old Danzi had three children: Johann, who became violinist; Franziska, who became an important international Opera singer (better known as Lebrun, the surname of her husband, the famous oboist Ludwig August Lebrun, another Mannheimer); Franz, an important cellist, who became an important conductor and composer.
