Multimedia Art Productions

1800-Theobald Ludovicus, zoon van Jan Lodewijk (Louis) en Sophia

R.K. doop München (Archive des Erzbistums München und Freising, Seelsorgeeinheiten, Pfarreien und Kirchenstiftungen, CB301, München-Zu Unserer Lieben Frau 1561-1937, Pfarramtsverwaltung, M9278, Taufen 1788-1800, folio 366, Bild 392,

"Nomina patru[m]   dies   mensis Febr: an[n]o 1800          f[olio] 366
         Dulcken          10    Ludovicus hgl: Instrument
                                        macher Sophia gebohren Lebrun
                                        uxor. Theobaldi Marchand furl:
                                        Theater Director, Theobald Ludovicus
                                        gebohren gestern abents um 1/4 uber
                                        6 Uhr".

Met dank aan Sándor Krause en Ivo de Bruin

On 25 June 1831 Louis Dulcken relinquished his post as royal keyboard instrument maker; he died five years later. In his will Dulcken named as heirs his wife Sophie Lebrun (b London, 20 June 1781–d Munich, 23 July 1863), his sons Theobald and Heinrich, his married daughters Louise and Franziska Bohrer, and his then unmarried daughters Violande, Johanna, and Caroline Dulcken. Theobald as business manager and Heinrich as builder apparently completed their father’s commitments after his death but soon closed the shop. Both sons eventually moved to London where Theobald became a wool merchant and Heinrich an organist. Louise and Franziska had married the brothers Max and Anton Bohrer; Louise became court pianist in Stuttgart. Violande became a concert singer in Munich. Dulcken's son Theobald became Louis partner about 1816, and the business continued until 1831, when Louis Dulcken retired. Theobald Dulcken Theobald Dulcken married Louise Kaufmann in 1828. Louise Kaufmann March 29, 1811 in Hamburg, † Apr. 12, 1850 in London, pianist. Her father was a wealthy Hamburg merchant. She was the sister of the violinist and composer Ferdinand David (1810-1873). Louise Dulcken received piano lessons from Christian Schwencke (1766/67-1822) and Friedrich Wilhelm Grund (1791-1874). She gave her first public performance at the age of ten. She was soon celebrated as a 'child prodigy'. In 1822, at the age of eleven, she played Hummel's Concerto in A minor in Hamburg and caused a sensation. In 1826 and 1827, she went on concert tours with her brother and performed in Copenhagen, Leipzig, Dresden and Berlin, among other places. Shortly after their marriage - in 1829 - they moved to London, where Louise was introduced as an important pianist by Ignaz Moscheles, who was based there at the time. In the years that followed, she achieved considerable success in England. Among other things, she worked as a pianist for the Duchess of Kent, and between 1830 and 1849 Louise Dulcken appeared ten times as a soloist in the Philharmonic Society: “We believe [she] was the first lady-pianist who ever played at the Philharmonic concerts”, according to an obituary (The Times 15 Apr. 1850). „We believe [she] was the first lady-pianist who ever played at the Philharmonic concerts“ heißt es in einem Nachruf (The Times 15. Apr. 1850). („The Times“ vom 12. Juni 1844, S. 7) „Madame Dulcken’s Concert. This concert, which is always one of the great affairs of the season, took place Monday morning, when the Opera Concert-room was crowded in every part by a most fashionable audience. The programme was one of more than usual bulk [...]. The executants were, however, all of first-rate order, and the selection was extremely judicious, comprising almost entirely comparative novelty. Of the performances of Madame Dulcken the most striking were the concerto in E flat of Weber, and the duet of Mozart for two pianos, of which one was played by Mendelssohn. The latter was perhaps the greatest treat of the concert, both pianists vieing with each other in giving the most exquisite softness and elegance of expression to the graceful inspirations of Mozart.“ Duet of Mozart for two pianos - Paula Bär-Giese & Jack de Bie - Soundcloud (2 Broadwood piano’s )

Louise Kaufmann

“Madame Louise Dulcken”, Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 20 January 1844.
Reviews

Review from the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung 1840, details a concert on October 26, 1840, in Dresden, where Giulio Regondi performed on the concertina and guitar. The report highlights the participation of pianist Frau Dulcken from London, who performed works by Thalberg and Mendelssohn.

"Dresden. Am 26. Octbr. gab Herr Giulio Regondi im Saale van de Hôtel de Saxe ein Concert, in welchem er sich als Virtuos auf der Concertina und der Guitarre hören liess. [...] Unterstützt wurde der Concertgeber durch das Mitwirken der Frau Dulcken aus London, die sowohl im Ensemble als in Solovorträgen (Etuden von Thalberg en Mendelssohn) ihre bekannte Meisterschaft und kräftige Spielweise bewährte."