Jan Dahmen
Dutch violinist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jan Dahmen (30 June 1898 – 20 December 1957) was a Dutch violinist. He was the first concertmaster of the Staatskapelle Dresden and of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam.
Life
Born in Breda, Dahmen came from a Dutch family of musicians of German descent.[1][2] He was a student of André Spoor in The Hague and Carl Flesch in Berlin.[3] In 1916, he won a gold medal in The Hague.[4] At the age of 21 (January 1920[5]) he became concert master II under Arthur Nikisch.[2] of the Berliner Philharmonischen Orchestra. He left the orchestra in August 1922.[2]
In 1922/23, he was primarius of the Dresden String Quartet.[6] From 1924 to 1945, he was 1st concertmaster of the Staatskapelle Dresden,[7] which was conducted during his term of office by Fritz Busch, Karl Böhm and Karl Elmendorff. Tours led him through Europe and to Dutch East Indies.[3] As Primarius, he was the leader of the Jan Dahmen String Quartet from 1938 to 1943.[8] He also taught at the orchestra school of the Sächsische Staatskapelle.[7] His students included among others Horst Förster,[9] Folker Göthel,[10] Henry Meyer,[11] Erich Muck[12] and Wolfgang Schulze).
From 1946 to 1948, Dahmen was concertmaster of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Issay Dobrowen in Sweden.[13] He was subsequently appointed Concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra by Eduard van Beinum.[13]
Further reading
- Gerassimos Avgerinos: Künstler-Biographien: die Mitglieder im Berliner Philharmonischen Orchester von 1882–1972. Self published, Berlin 1972, p. 39.
- Nelly Backhausen, Axel Kjerulf (ed.): Musikkens Hvem-Hvad-Hvor. Politikens Musikleksikon. Vol. 2: Biografier A–Q. 2nd edition, Politikens Forlag, Kopenhagen 1950, p. 119.
- Anton van Oirschot (ed.): Encyclopedie van Noord-Brabant. Vol. 1: A–F. Market Books, Baarn 1985, ISBN 90-6593-061-2.
