Dulcken
Encyclopedia
The Dulcken family were Flemish
harpsichord
makers of German origin.
Joannes Daniel Dulcken (21 April 1706 – 11 April 1757) was born in Wingeshausen, the son of Georg Ludwig Dulcken (died Wingeshausen, before 1752). In 1736 he was in Maastricht
, but by 1738 he had moved with his wife Susanna Maria Knopffell and their son to Antwerp where they became members of the Reformed church. He became an alderman
in 1744, and lived in Hopland
. He travelled to England in 1750 to sell two of his harpsichords. His will left all his harpsichord-making material to his son Joannes Dulcken; he died in Antwerp. He left a good reputation behind: Charles Burney
claimed that, after the Ruckers
family, 'the harpsichord-maker of the greatest eminence … was J. D. Dulcken'.
He made single and double manual harpsichords, generally with a compass of five octaves (sometimes slightly less) and the common three registers; two 8' and one 4'. He decorated the soundboard
s with flower
s and carved his initials into the rose. Dulcken's harpsichords are a development of Ruckers designs and have a larger range. His harpsichords have often served as models for modern reproductions by Martin Skowroneck and others. His surviving instruments are in collections around the world and all date from the mid-18th century.
Johan Lodewijk [Louis] Dulcken I (1733 – after 1793) was born in Maastricht
and was the eldest son of Joannes Daniel Dulcken, from whom he learnt harpsichord building. He went on to establish himself in Amsterdam
in 1755, and is later mentioned as an organ builder there. He was by 1783 a piano builder in Paris, frenchifying his name to Louis Dulcken. His surviving instruments are a harpsichord and a number of pianos.
Joannes Dulcken (10 September 1742 – 22 July 1775) was born in Antwerp; he was the son of Joannes Daniel Dulcken, upon whose death he moved with his mother, sister and brother-in-law to Brussels in 1764, where a workshop was set up. He too became a harpsichord maker; his surviving instruments are dated 1764 and 1769. He settled in Amsterdam
in 1771 and died in The Hague
.
Johan Lodewijk Dulcken II (9 August 1761 – after 1835) was born in Amsterdam and named after his father, the first Johan Lodewijk Dulcken; he was thus J.D.D.'s grandson. He went into the family business and by 1781 was employed as 'Mechanischer Hofklaviermacher' in Munich
, where he remained for the rest of his life; he is last mentioned in 1835. His daughter in law was Sophie Dulcken.
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
makers of German origin.
Joannes Daniel Dulcken (21 April 1706 – 11 April 1757) was born in Wingeshausen, the son of Georg Ludwig Dulcken (died Wingeshausen, before 1752). In 1736 he was in Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
, but by 1738 he had moved with his wife Susanna Maria Knopffell and their son to Antwerp where they became members of the Reformed church. He became an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in 1744, and lived in Hopland
Hopland
Hopland may refer to:* Hopland, California, United States* Hopland, Hordaland in Austrheim municipality, Hordaland, Norway* Hopland, Sogn og Fjordane in Stryn municipality, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway* Old Hopland, California...
. He travelled to England in 1750 to sell two of his harpsichords. His will left all his harpsichord-making material to his son Joannes Dulcken; he died in Antwerp. He left a good reputation behind: Charles Burney
Charles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
claimed that, after the Ruckers
Ruckers
The Ruckers family were Flemish harpsichord and virginal makers based in Antwerp in the 16th and 17th century whose influence stretched well into the 18th and to the harpsichord revival of the 20th.The Ruckers family contributed immeasurably to the harpsichord's technical development,...
family, 'the harpsichord-maker of the greatest eminence … was J. D. Dulcken'.
He made single and double manual harpsichords, generally with a compass of five octaves (sometimes slightly less) and the common three registers; two 8' and one 4'. He decorated the soundboard
Soundboard
Soundboard or sound board may refer to:*Sound board , a part of a musical instrument*Sounding board, an attachment to a pulpit to assist a human speaker*Alternate name of a mixing console, used to combine electronic audio signals...
s with flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s and carved his initials into the rose. Dulcken's harpsichords are a development of Ruckers designs and have a larger range. His harpsichords have often served as models for modern reproductions by Martin Skowroneck and others. His surviving instruments are in collections around the world and all date from the mid-18th century.
Johan Lodewijk [Louis] Dulcken I (1733 – after 1793) was born in Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
and was the eldest son of Joannes Daniel Dulcken, from whom he learnt harpsichord building. He went on to establish himself in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1755, and is later mentioned as an organ builder there. He was by 1783 a piano builder in Paris, frenchifying his name to Louis Dulcken. His surviving instruments are a harpsichord and a number of pianos.
Joannes Dulcken (10 September 1742 – 22 July 1775) was born in Antwerp; he was the son of Joannes Daniel Dulcken, upon whose death he moved with his mother, sister and brother-in-law to Brussels in 1764, where a workshop was set up. He too became a harpsichord maker; his surviving instruments are dated 1764 and 1769. He settled in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1771 and died in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
.
Johan Lodewijk Dulcken II (9 August 1761 – after 1835) was born in Amsterdam and named after his father, the first Johan Lodewijk Dulcken; he was thus J.D.D.'s grandson. He went into the family business and by 1781 was employed as 'Mechanischer Hofklaviermacher' 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...
, where he remained for the rest of his life; he is last mentioned in 1835. His daughter in law was Sophie Dulcken.
Sources
- Jeannine Lambrechts-Douillez: 'Dulcken', Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 18 May 2007), http://www.grovemusic.com/
- A. Curtis: Dutch Harpsichord Makers, TVNM, (1960–1961)
- A.J. Gierveld: The Harpsichord and Clavichord in the Dutch Republic, TVNM, (1981)
- J. Lambrechts-Douillez: The History of Harpsichord Making in Antwerpen in the 18th Century, Studia