Paul Raymond O'Dette (born February 2, 1954) is an American lutenist, conductor, and

musicologist Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, f ...

specializing in

early music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750) or Ancient music (before 500 AD). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad Dates of classical ...

Biography

O'Dette, who was born in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

, began playing the

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external electric Guitar amplifier, sound amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar. It uses one or more pickup (music technology), pickups ...

in a rock band in Columbus, Ohio, where he grew up. Eventually, this led him into playing guitar transcriptions of lute music, and not long after that he opted for the

lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lu ...

(as well as the related

archlute The archlute (, , ) is a European plucked string instrument developed around 1600 as a compromise between the very large theorbo, the size and re-entrant tuning of which made for difficulties in the performance of solo music, and the Renaissan ...

theorbo The theorbo is a plucked string instrument of the lute family, with an extended neck that houses the second pegbox. Like a lute, a theorbo has a curved-back sound box with a flat top, typically with one or three sound holes decorated with rose ...

, and Baroque

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

) as his primary instruments, and now he specializes in the performance of Renaissance and Baroque music. He has made more than 120 recordings, earning five

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

nominations and numerous other awards. In addition to his activities as a performer, Paul O'Dette is an avid researcher, having worked extensively on the performance and sources of seventeenth-century Italian and English solo song, continuo practices and lute technique. Since 1976, he has served as Professor of Lute and Director of Early Music at the

Eastman School of Music The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York, United States. Established in 1921 by celebrated industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman, it was the ...

. He is the Co-Artistic Director of the Boston Early Music Festival. He lives in

Rochester, New York Rochester is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Monroe County, New York, United States. It is the List of municipalities in New York, fourth-most populous city and 10th most-populated municipality in New York, with a populati ...

with his wife Christel Thielmann, who is also a baroque music specialist and Eastman professor.

Discography

Solo

* The English Lute: Music by John Dowland and

William Byrd William Byrd (; 4 July 1623) was an English Renaissance composer. Considered among the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he had a profound influence on composers both from his native country and on the Continental Europe, Continent. He i ...

(1979) * Early Venetian Lute Music (1982) * Tabulatures De Leut: Adrian Le Roy, Guillaume de Morlaye, Albert de Rippe, Jean-Paul Paladin (1983) * John Dowland: Musicke for the Lute (1984) * Intabolature Da Leuto 'Del Divino' Francesco da Milano (1986) * Ancient Airs and Dances: 16th Century Songs and Dances for the Lute (1987) * Robin is to the Greenwood Gone: Elizabethan Lute Music (1987) * Johannes Hieronymus Kapsberger: Il Tedesco della Tiorba (Pieces For Lute) (1990) (reissued as Baroque Lute Music, Vol. I: Kapsberger) * Lord Herbert of Cherbury's Lute Book (1992) * Dolcissima et Amorosa: Early Italian Renaissance Lute Music (1994) (reissued as Lute Music, Volume 2: Early Italian Music) * John Dowland: 'Opera Omnia', The Complete Lute Works (5 volumes, 1995–1997) * Alla Venetiana: Early 16th Century Venetian Lute Music (1999), identical material to Early Venetian Lute Music (1982) but re-recorded 1997. * Robin Hood: Elizabethan Ballad Settings (2001) * Simone Molinaro: Fantasie, Canzoni e Balli (2001) * The Royal Lewters: Music of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

and

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...

's Favourite Lutenists (2002) * Nicholas Vallet: Le Secret des Muses (2005) * Daniel Bacheler: The Bachelar's Delight (2006) *

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

: Lute Works, Volume I (2007) * Melchior Neusidler: Lute Music (2008) * Marco dall'Aquila: Pieces for Lute (2010) * Francesco da Milano: Il Divino (2013) * My Favorite Dowland (2014) * Un perfaict sonneur de leut Albert de Rippe (2019)

Selected Ensemble

* Italian Lute Duets, from the 16th and Early 17th Centuries (1979) (with Hopkinson Smith) * English Lute Duets (1985) (with Jakob Lindberg) *

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, impresario of Baroque music and Roman Catholic priest. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lif ...

: Music for Lute and Mandolin (1986) (with the Parley of Instruments, directed by Roy Goodman and Peter Holman) * As I Went to Walsingham: Elizabethan Music (1987) (with The Musicians of Swanne Alley, directed by Lyle Nordstrom and Paul O'Dette) * John Dowland: Songs for tenor and lute (1988) (with Nigel Rogers, tenor) * The King's Delight: 17th Century Ballads for Voice and Violin Band (1994) (wit
The King's Noyse
directed by David Douglass) * Canzonetta: 16th Century Canzoni & Instrumental Dances (1995) (wit
The King's Noyse
directed by David Douglass) (reissued as Italian Renaissance Dances, Volume 2) * Spanish Dances: Selections from Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz's 'Luz y Norte' (1996) (with The Harp Consort, directed by Andrew Lawrence-King) * The Queen's Delight: 17th Century English Ballads and Dances (1997) (wit
The King's Noyse
directed by David Douglass) * ¡Jácaras!: 18th Century Spanish Baroque Guitar Music of Santiago de Murcia (1998) (with Andrew Lawrence-King, Pedro Estevan, Patrick O'Brien, and Steven Player) * Apollo's Banquet: 17th Century Music from the Publications of John Playford (1998) (with David Douglass, and Andrew Lawrence-King) (reissued as English Country Dances: 17th Century Music from the Publications of John Playford) * Il Zazzerino: Music of

Jacopo Peri Jacopo Peri (20 August 156112 August 1633) was an Italian composer, singer and instrumentalist of the late Renaissance music, Renaissance and early Baroque music, Baroque periods. He wrote what is considered the first opera, the mostly lost ''D ...

(1999) (with Andrew Lawrence-King
Ellen Hargis
and Hille Perl) * Anthony Holborne: "My Selfe" 16th Century Pavans, Galliards, and Almains (1999) (wit
The King's Noyse
directed by David Douglass) * Seaven Teares: Music of John Dowland (2002) (wit
The King's Noyse
directed by David Douglass) * Pavaniglia: Dances and Madrigals from 17th-Century Italy (2005) (with Andrew Lawrence-King, an
The King's Noyse
directed by David Douglass) * Le Jardin de Mélodies: 16th Century French Dances and Songs (2006) (wit
The King's Noyse
directed by David Douglass, an
Ellen Hargis
* The Christmas Album (2006) (wit
Ellen Hargis
* Rosenmüller: 17th Century Instrumental and Vocal Music (2008) (wit
The King's Noyse
directed by David Douglass, an
Ellen Hargis

Conductor

* Johann Georg Conradi, ''Ariadne,'' Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra & Chorus, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs 3 CD CPO 2004 *

Jean-Baptiste Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( – 22 March 1687) was a French composer, dancer and instrumentalist of Italian birth, who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas, he spent most of his life working in the court o ...

, '' Thésée,'' Boston Early Festival Vocal & Chamber Ensembles, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs 3 CDs CPO 2007 *Jean-Baptiste Lully, '' Psyché,'' Boston Early Festival Orchestra & Chorus, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs 3 CDs CPO 2007 * Johann Sebastiani, ''Matthäus Passion,'' Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs CD CPO 2007 *Marc-Antoine Charpentier, '' Actéon'' H.481, ''La Pierre Philososphale'' H.501, Boston Early Festival Vocal & Chamber Ensembles, conducted by Paul O'Dette e& Stephen Stubbs CD CPO 2010 * John Blow, ''Vénus et Adonis,'' Boston Early Festival Vocal & Chamber Ensembles, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs CD CPO 2011 * Marc-Antoine Charpentier, ''

La Descente d'Orphée aux Enfers ''La descente d'Orphée aux enfers'' H. Wiley Hitchcock, H.488 (English: ''The Descent of Orpheus to the Underworld'') is an incomplete chamber opera in two acts by the French composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier. It was probably composed in early ...

'' H.488'', La Couronne de fleurs'' H.486'','' Boston Early Festival Vocal & Chamber Ensembles, CD CPO 2013 *George Frideric Handel, '' Acis and Galatea,'' Boston Early Music Festival Vocal & Chamber Ensembles, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs 2 CDs CPO 2013 *Agostino Stefanni, '' Niobe Regina di Tebe,'' Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, conducted by Paul O'Dette et Stephen Stubbs 3 CDs CPO 2015 * Agostino Stefanni, ''Duets of Love and Passion,'' Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs 3 CD CPO 2017 * *

George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

, '' Almira,'' Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs CD CPO 2018 * *Marc-Antoine Charpentier, '' Les Plaisirs de Versailles'' H.480'', Les Arts Florissants'' H.487'','' Boston Early Festival Vocal & Chamber Ensembles, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs CD CPO 2019 * Michel-Richard de Lalande, ''Les Fontaines de Versailles, Le Concert d'Esculape,'' Boston Early Festival Vocal & Chamber Ensembles, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs CD CPO 2020

References

External links

Biography from Eastman School of Music

Biography and Concert Schedule
(Harmonia Mundi)

by Bruce Duffie {{DEFAULTSORT:Odette, Paul 1954 births Living people Musicians from Columbus, Ohio Schola Cantorum Basiliensis alumni Eastman School of Music faculty Archlute players Chitarrone players Citternists Vihuela players Theorbists American lutenists American performers of early music Grammy Award winners Classical musicians from Ohio