John Clegg (born 1714; died in or after 1746) was an
Irish violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
ist who became one of the most celebrated soloists of his time in both Dublin and London. He was a student of both
Matthew Dubourg and
Giovanni Bononcini
Giovanni Bononcini (or Buononcini) (18 July 1670 – 9 July 1747) (sometimes cited also as Giovanni Battista Bononcini) was an Italian Baroque composer, cellist, singer and teacher, one of a family of string players and composers.
Biography
E ...
. A child prodigy, Clegg appeared in London starting in 1723, playing a concerto by
Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread a ...
. In the following year, he played Vivaldi's ''La tempesta di mare'', RV 253, at the New Theater in the Haymarket. In 1737 he was chosen by the composer
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque music, Baroque composer well known for his opera#Baroque era, operas, oratorios, anthems, concerto grosso, concerti grossi, ...
to succeed the Italian violinist
Pietro Castrucci as leader of his opera orchestra in London. In 1744 Clegg's career was cut short by mental illness due to excessive zeal in study and practice.
He was admitted twice to
Bedlam Hospital
Bethlem Royal Hospital, also known as St Mary Bethlehem, Bethlehem Hospital and Bedlam, is a psychiatric hospital in London. Its famous history has inspired several horror books, films and TV series, most notably '' Bedlam'', a 1946 film with ...
, discharged in 1746 and died soon afterwards, probably in London.
References
John Clegg Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
,
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 2004. Subscription or membership of a UK public library required).
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1714 births
18th-century deaths
Irish male violinists
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