Leonard Dommett
Encyclopedia
Leonard Bertram Dommett OBE (21 December 192811 April 2006) was an Australia
n violinist, conductor and teacher.
, where his father ran a general store. His grandparents had performed professionally in concerts and summer entertainments in the beach towns of southern England, at which Charlie Chaplin
had once performed as a guest artist. He had four talented siblings: one brother played bassoon and saxophone; another became an actor; a sister was a pianist and she and Leonard often played together; and another sister was an actress.
He first handled a violin at age 4. At age 14 he won the 1942 Queensland Eisteddfod Championship in violin playing. He was offered a scholarship to Trinity College at the London School of Music, but World War II prevented him accepting it. Instead, he went to the Conservatorium of Music at the University of Melbourne
, where the pianist Max Cooke became one of his closest friends.
In 1949, Marie Rambert
brought her ballet to Australia, and she appointed Dommett as a solo violinist. He passed his first test, accompanying a ballet set to Ernest Chausson
's Poème. Rambert was so impressed that she made him her concert master, and later her conductor. He moved with the company to New Zealand and then to London. There he played with the London Symphony
, London Philharmonic
and Royal Philharmonic
orchestras. He became assistant conductor at the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden
.
He returned to Australia in 1953, and played with the Queensland
and Sydney
symphony orchestras. In 1961 he became leader and later deputy conductor of the South Australian Symphony Orchestra
. In 1965 he became concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
(MSO), and later assistant conductor. He intermittently played with the London orchestras, but essentially remained in Melbourne till 1980. At a concert in Munich
, Germany
he received a standing ovation after playing the Violin Concerto by Felix Werder
.
After retirement from the MSO, he taught at the Canberra School of Music
for the next two decades. Later he was music master and conductor at St Margaret's Girls School in Brisbane, where they performed Vivaldi
's The Four Seasons
and Fauré
's Requiem
under his direction.
Eight composers wrote violin concertos for Leonard Dommett. He did a great deal of recording, including 56 concertos, and a disc of Mozart violin sonatas with Max Cooke. He conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the premiere recording of Malcolm Williamson
's Piano Concerto No. 3
, with the composer as soloist.
In 1977 he married Elizabeth Curnow née Taylor.
In 1992 he married Ann Dolan and acquired two stepsons. They moved to Bribie Island, where he played regularly in the local church, and where he died, aged 77, on 11 April 2006.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n violinist, conductor and teacher.
Biography
Leonard Dommett was born in Toowoomba, QueenslandQueensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, where his father ran a general store. His grandparents had performed professionally in concerts and summer entertainments in the beach towns of southern England, at which Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
had once performed as a guest artist. He had four talented siblings: one brother played bassoon and saxophone; another became an actor; a sister was a pianist and she and Leonard often played together; and another sister was an actress.
He first handled a violin at age 4. At age 14 he won the 1942 Queensland Eisteddfod Championship in violin playing. He was offered a scholarship to Trinity College at the London School of Music, but World War II prevented him accepting it. Instead, he went to the Conservatorium of Music at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, where the pianist Max Cooke became one of his closest friends.
In 1949, Marie Rambert
Marie Rambert
Dame Marie Rambert DBE was a Polish-Jewish dancer and dance pedagogue who exerted a great influence on British ballet, both as a dancer and teacher.- Early years and background :...
brought her ballet to Australia, and she appointed Dommett as a solo violinist. He passed his first test, accompanying a ballet set to Ernest Chausson
Ernest Chausson
Amédée-Ernest Chausson was a French romantic composer who died just as his career was beginning to flourish.-Life:Ernest Chausson was born in Paris into a prosperous bourgeois family...
's Poème. Rambert was so impressed that she made him her concert master, and later her conductor. He moved with the company to New Zealand and then to London. There he played with the London Symphony
London Symphony
London Symphony may refer to:*London Symphony Orchestra*Symphony No. 104 , by composer Joseph Haydn*A London Symphony, the Second Symphony by composer Ralph Vaughan Williams...
, London Philharmonic
London Philharmonic Orchestra
The London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
and Royal Philharmonic
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
orchestras. He became assistant conductor at the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
.
He returned to Australia in 1953, and played with the Queensland
Queensland Symphony Orchestra
The Queensland Symphony Orchestra is an Australian orchestra, based principally in Brisbane in the state of Queensland.The QSO played its first concert on 26 March 1947, with the orchestra consisting of 45 musicians, conducted by Percy Code. John Farnsworth Hall was recruited from the Sydney...
and Sydney
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra , commonly known as the Sydney Symphony, is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Sydney...
symphony orchestras. In 1961 he became leader and later deputy conductor of the South Australian Symphony Orchestra
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra was founded as a 17 player radio ensemble in 1936, in Adelaide, South Australia. The orchestra reformed in 1949 as the 55 member South Australian Symphony Orchestra. It reverted to its original and present title, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, in late 1974, and...
. In 1965 he became concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Melbourne, Australia. It has 100 permanent musicians. Melbourne has the longest continuous history of orchestral music of any Australian city and the MSO is the oldest professional orchestra in Australia...
(MSO), and later assistant conductor. He intermittently played with the London orchestras, but essentially remained in Melbourne till 1980. At a concert in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
he received a standing ovation after playing the Violin Concerto by Felix Werder
Felix Werder
Felix Werder is an Australian-based German composer of classical and electronic music; also a noted critic and educator. The son of a distinguished liturgical composer, he has composed all his life; he has an international reputation and is one of Australia's most performed composers...
.
After retirement from the MSO, he taught at the Canberra School of Music
ANU School of Music
The School of Music is a school within the Faculty of Arts of the Australian National University. It consists of four buildings, including the main School of Music building - which contains Llewellyn Hall - and the Peter Karmel Building....
for the next two decades. Later he was music master and conductor at St Margaret's Girls School in Brisbane, where they performed Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed because of his red hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe...
's The Four Seasons
The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)
The Four Seasons is a set of four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. Composed in 1723, The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's best-known work, and is among the most popular pieces of Baroque music. The texture of each concerto is varied, each resembling its respective season...
and Fauré
Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Urbain Fauré was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers...
's Requiem
Requiem (Fauré)
Gabriel Fauré composed his Requiem in D minor, Op. 48 between 1887 and 1890. This choral–orchestral setting of the Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead is the best known of his large works. The most famous movement is the soprano aria Pie Jesu...
under his direction.
Eight composers wrote violin concertos for Leonard Dommett. He did a great deal of recording, including 56 concertos, and a disc of Mozart violin sonatas with Max Cooke. He conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the premiere recording of Malcolm Williamson
Malcolm Williamson
Malcolm Benjamin Graham Christopher Williamson AO , CBE was an Australian composer. He was the Master of the Queen's Music from 1975 until his death.-Biography:...
's Piano Concerto No. 3
Piano Concerto No. 3 (Williamson)
The Piano Concerto No. 3 is a 32-minute concerto by Australian-born composer Malcolm Williamson.- History of the Work :Commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Commission, Williamson's third piano concerto was written in 1962 while the composer was living in East Sheen, London...
, with the composer as soloist.
Honours and awards
- In 1977 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE). - In 1993 he received the "Sir Bernard HeinzeBernard HeinzeSir Bernard Thomas Heinze, AC was an Australian Professor of Music, conductor, and Director of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music....
Award" for his contribution to Australian music.
Personal
In 1954 he married Wanda Jones, and they had two children.In 1977 he married Elizabeth Curnow née Taylor.
In 1992 he married Ann Dolan and acquired two stepsons. They moved to Bribie Island, where he played regularly in the local church, and where he died, aged 77, on 11 April 2006.
Sources
- Philip Jones, Obituary A true professional with bow or baton, The Age, 4 May 2006