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

lutenist A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a 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 "lute" can refe ...

, conductor, and

musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some mu ...

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). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad musical era for the beginning of Western classical m ...

Biography

O'Dette, who was born in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, began playing the

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...

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 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 "lute" can ref ...

(as well as the related

archlute The archlute ( es, archilaúd, it, arciliuto, german: Erzlaute) 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 p ...

theorbo The theorbo is a plucked string instrument of the lute family, with an extended neck and a second pegbox. Like a lute, a theorbo has a curved-back sound box (a hollow box) with a wooden top, typically with a sound hole, and a neck extending ou ...

, and Baroque

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

) 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), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

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. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman. It offers Bachelor of Music (B.M ...

. He is the Co-Artistic Director of the

Boston Early Music Festival The Boston Early Music Festival (BEMF) is a non-profit organization founded in 1980 in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. to promote historical music performance. It presents an annual concert series in Boston and New York City, produces opera recordi ...

. He lives in

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

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

Discography

Solo

* The English Lute: Music by

John Dowland John Dowland (c. 1563 – buried 20 February 1626) was an English Renaissance composer, lutenist, and singer. He is best known today for his melancholy songs such as "Come, heavy sleep", " Come again", "Flow my tears", " I saw my Lady weepe", ...

and

William Byrd William Byrd (; 4 July 1623) was an English composer of late Renaissance music. Considered among the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he had a profound influence on composers both from his native England and those on the continent. He ...

(1979) * Tabulatures De Leut:

Adrian Le Roy Adrian Le Roy (c.1520–1598) was an influential French music publisher, lutenist, mandore player, guitarist, composer and music educator. Life Le Roy was born in the town of Montreuil-sur-Mer in northern France to a wealthy family. Very little ...

Guillaume de Morlaye Guillaume de Morlaye (c.1510–c.1558) was a French Renaissance era lutenist, composer and music publisher. He was a pupil of Albert de Rippe and lived and worked in Paris. In 1552 he received a ten-year license to publish music from Henry II, and ...

Albert de Rippe Albert de Rippe (''Alberto da Ripa da Mantova'') (c. 1500–1551) was an Italian lutenist and composer. He was born in Mantua and worked there before 1528, when he left for France. There, he joined the court of Francis I. De Rippe was evidently held ...

, Jean-Paul Paladin (1983) *

: Musicke for the Lute (1984) * Intabolature Da Leuto 'Del Divino'

Francesco da Milano Francesco Canova da Milano (Francesco da Milano, also known as ''Il divino'', ''Francesco da Parigi'', etc.) (18 August 1497 – 2 January 1543) was an Italian lutenist and composer. He was born in Monza, near Milan, and worked for the papal cou ...

(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 Giovanni Girolamo Kapsperger (also: ''Johann(es) Hieronymus Kapsberger'' or ''Giovanni Geronimo Kapsperger''; c. 1580 – 17 January 1651) was an Austrian-Italy, Italian virtuoso performer and composer of the early Baroque period. A prolific and h ...

: Il Tedesco della Tiorba (Pieces For Lute) (1990) (reissued as Baroque Lute Music, Vol. I: Kapsberger) *

Lord Herbert of Cherbury Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury (or Chirbury) KB (3 March 1583 – 5 August 1648) was an English soldier, diplomat, historian, poet and religious philosopher of the Kingdom of England. Life Early life Edward Herbert was the ...

's Lute Book (1992) * Dolcissima et Amorosa: Early Italian Renaissance Lute Music (1994) (reissued as Lute Music, Volume 2: Early Italian Music) *

: 'Opera Omnia', The Complete Lute Works (5 volumes, 1995-1997) * Alla Venetiana: Early 16th Century Venetian Lute Music (1997) * Robin Hood: Elizabethan Ballad Settings (2001) *

Simone Molinaro Simone Molinaro (c. 1570 – May 1636)''Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart''. Personenteil, Band 12, Kassel 2004, p. 308. was a composer of the late Renaissance in Italy. He was especially renowned for his lute music. Life and career Molina ...

: 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 best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

and

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

's Favourite Lutenists (2002) * Nicholas Vallet: Le Secret des Muses (2005) *

Daniel Bacheler Daniel Bacheler, also variously spelt Bachiler, Batchiler or Batchelar, (baptized 16 March 1572 – buried 29 January 1619) was an English lutenist and composer. Of all the English lutenist-composers, he is now credited as probably being th ...

: The Bachelar's Delight (2006) *

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

: Lute Works, Volume I (2007) * Melchior Neusidler: Lute Music (2008) *

Marco dall'Aquila Marco Dall'Aquila (c.1480 – after 1538) was a Venetian lutenist and composer known for musical forms called polyphonic ricercars. He was born in L'Aquila but lived and worked in Venice. He often performed at concerts in the houses of nobles in ...

: Pieces for Lute (2010) *

: Il Divino (2013) * My Favorite Dowland (2014) * Un perfaict sonneur de leut

(2019)

Selected Ensemble

* Italian Lute Duets, from the 16th and Early 17th Centuries (1979) (with

Hopkinson Smith Hopkinson Smith (born December 7, 1946) is an American lutenist and pedagogue, longtime resident in Basel, Switzerland. Smith was born in New York City, the son of architectural writer and photographer G. E. Kidder Smith. He graduated from Har ...

) * English Lute Duets (1985) (with

Jakob Lindberg Jakob Lindberg (born 16 October 1952) is a Sweden, Swedish lutenist, performing solo, in small and large ensembles, and also directing operas, using instruments of the lute and guitar families. He is known for the first ever recording of the Complet ...

) *

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 ...

: 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) *

: Songs for tenor and lute (1988) (with

Nigel Rogers Nigel David Rogers (21 March 1935 – 19 January 2022) was an English multilingual tenor, music conductor, and vocal coach, who sang in over seventy classical music album recordings in German, French, Italian, Latin and English, mostly of earl ...

, 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 Andrew Lawrence-King (born 3 September 1959) is a harpist and conductor from Guernsey known for his work in early music. Career Lawrence-King received an organ scholarship to Selwyn College, Cambridge, following on his work as head chorister at t ...

) * 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 Santiago de Murcia (25 July 1673 – 25 April 1739) was a Spanish guitarist and composer. Biography Until new research was published in 2008, few details about the life of Santiago de Murcia were known. However, it is now known that he was born ...

(1998) (with

, Pedro Estevan, Patrick O'Brien, and Steven Player) * Apollo's Banquet: 17th Century Music from the Publications of

John Playford John Playford (1623–1686/7) was a London bookseller, publisher, minor composer, and member of the Stationers' Company, who published books on music theory, instruction books for several instruments, and psalters with tunes for singing in churche ...

(1998) (with David Douglass, and

) (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), known under the pseudonym Il Zazzerino, was an Italian composer and singer of the transitional period between the Renaissance and Baroque styles, and is often called the inventor of opera. He wrote the ...

(1999) (with

Ellen Hargis
and

Hille Perl Hille Perl (born ''Hildegard Perl'' on 9 March 1965, in Bremen) is a German virtuoso performer of the viola da gamba and lirone. She is considered to be one of the world's finest viola da gamba players, specializing in solo and ensemble music of ...

) * Anthony Holborne: "My Selfe" 16th Century Pavans, Galliards, and Almains (1999) (wit
The King's Noyse
directed by David Douglass) * Seaven Teares: Music of

(2002) (wit
The King's Noyse
directed by David Douglass) * Pavaniglia: Dances and Madrigals from 17th-Century Italy (2005) (with

, 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 Johann Georg Conradi (1645 in Oettingen – 22 May 1699) was a German composer. He was, with Johann Theile, Nicolaus Adam Strungk, Johann Philipp Fortsch, Johann Wolfgang Franck and Johann Sigismund Kusser one of the main composers of the ea ...

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

Jean-Baptiste Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( , , ; born Giovanni Battista Lulli, ; – 22 March 1687) was an Italian-born French composer, guitarist, violinist, and dancer who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas, he ...

, ''

Thésée ''Thésée'' (; ) is a ''tragédie en musique'', an early type of French opera, in a prologue and five acts with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully and a libretto by Philippe Quinault based on Ovid's ''Metamorphoses''. It was first performed on 11 J ...

,'' Boston Early Festival Vocal & Chamber Ensembles, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs 3 CDs CPO 2007 *Jean-Baptiste Lully, ''

Psyché Psyche (''Psyché'' in French) is the Greek term for "soul" (ψυχή). Psyche may also refer to: Psychology * Psyche (psychology), the totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious * ''Psyche'', an 1846 book about the unconscious by Car ...

,'' Boston Early Festival Orchestra & Chorus, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs 3 CDs CPO 2007 *

Johann Sebastiani Johann Sebastiani (30 September 1622 – 1683) was a German baroque composer. Sebastiani was born in Weimar. He became Kantor at Königsberg cathedral in 1661, and court ''Kapellmeister'' from 1663 to 1679. He died in Königsberg. His works ...

, ''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 John Blow (baptised 23 February 1649 – 1 October 1708) was an English composer and organist of the Baroque music, Baroque period. Appointed organist of Westminster Abbey in late 1668,Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still us ...

, ''

La Descente d'Orphée aux Enfers ''La descente d'Orphée aux enfers'' 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 1686 and performed ...

'' 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 music, Baroque composer well known for his opera#Baroque era, operas, oratorios, anthems, concerto grosso, concerti grossi, ...

, ''

Almira ''Almira, Königin von Castilien'' ("Almira, Queen of Castile", HWV 1; full title: ''Der in Krohnen erlangte Glücks-Wechsel, oder: Almira, Königin von Castilien'') is George Frideric Handel's first opera, composed when he was 19 years old. I ...

,'' Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs CD CPO 2018 * *Marc-Antoine Charpentier, ''

Les Plaisirs de Versailles ''Les plaisirs de Versailles'' H.480 (English: ''The Pleasures of Versailles'') is a short opera (or ''divertissement'') by the French composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier. It was intended for performance at the new courtly entertainment known as ''l ...

'' 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 Michel Richard Delalande e Lalande'' (; 15 December 1657 – 18 June 1726) was a French Baroque composer and organist who was in the service of King Louis XIV. He was one of the most important composers of grands motets. He also wrote orch ...

, ''Les Fontaines de Versailles, Le Concert d'Esculape,'' Boston Early Festival Vocal & Chamber Ensembles, conducted by Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs CD CPO 2020

External links

Biography from Eastman School of Music

Biography and Concert Schedule
(Harmonia Mundi)

by Bruce Duffie {{DEFAULTSORT:Odette, Paul American performers of early music 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 Grammy Award winners Classical musicians from Ohio