Johan Arnold Dahmen

Johan Arnold Dahmen was christened on 9 March 1766 in the Hague, and died in London on 3 September 1812. He was a Dutch violoncello and viola da gamba virtuoso, who probably moved from the Netherlands to Britain in November 1791. Haydn and Salomon visited Cambridge in that month to hear him, and he was engaged to play in their famous London subscription concert series. Dahmen made his debut as a soloist in those concerts in February 1792, and would maintain social and business connections with Salomon until his death. He performed many of his own works at concerts in London and in the north of England (particularly Leeds, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Liverpool and Manchester). He was a prolific composer, but his chamber and vocal music has preferentially survived. Many pieces were published in London and on the continent.

"Eleven Sacred Songs and Two Chorusses in Score" (published c.1807).

Dedicated to the Church of England. "The words chiefly taken from the Psalms."

Orchestral anthem for STB soloists plus SATB choir, violins 1 & 2, viola, violoncello, bass and keyboard (piano).

Total time: c.35 minutes.

Full score: £10.

(Parts also available.)

(Some numbers were recorded for the CD "Haydn & his English Friends" (Hyperion CDA67150)).

Vocal Music

When the Soft Tear, A Glee for Three Voices (no op. number), Dedicated to HRH the Duchess of York (published 1803-4).

LOST: The Despairing Damsel (a favorite Ballad, sung by Mr. Incledon in his new Entertainment of the WANDERING MELODIST (1803). [Published by Goulding, Phipps & d’Almaine, and reviewed in the Monthly Magazine for 1 July 1803 (p.559).]

Twelve Canzonets, with an Accompaniment for the Piano Forte (no op. number), Dedicated to Miss Green (on paper watermarked 1803).

Six Canzonets with Accompaniment for the Harp or Piano Forte (Op. "6"), Dedicated to Her Highness the Margravine of Anspach (published c.1805?).

Sundry chamber music

The Huddersfield Volunteers March, with Two Quick-steps (no op. number), Commanded by Sir George Armytage, Bart. (on paper watermarked 1797). For Piano Forte and Tambourine.

Three Sonatas (C, A, Bb) for the Piano Forte (Op. 26), Dedicated to Lady Armytage. [Reviewed in the Monthly Magazine of 1 March 1810 (vol. 29, p.168).]

Three Duets (Bb, G, D) for Two Flutes (Op. 28). On paper watermarked 1810.

Seven String Quartets

Three Quartetts (C, d, f) for Two Violins, Tenor [viola] and Violincello (Op. 3), Dedicated to Thos. Smith, Esq. (on paper watermarked 1796). [Another edition by J. Andre, Offenbach am Main; no. 1142.]

A Quartett (Eb) for Two Violins, Tenor [viola] and Bass [violoncello] (no op. number), Dedicated to Stephenson, Esq. (on paper watermarked 1806).

Three Quartetts (Eb, A, Bb) for Two Violins, Tenor [viola] and Bass [violoncello] (no op. number printed on cover page), Dedicated to HRH the Duke of Cambridge (on paper watermarked 1809 and 1811).

Twelve String Trios

Three Trios (A, C, Eb) for 2 violins and violoncello (Op. 1), Dedicated to Dr Joseph Haydn (c.1792/3).

Three Trios (C, Eb, G) for a Violoncello obbligato, with accompaniments for a violin and bass (violoncello) (Op. 6), Dedicated to G.F. Stratton, Esq. (c.1797).

Three Trios (e, C, Eb) for a Violin, Tenor [viola] and Violoncello (Op. 8), Dedicated to G. Wentworth, Esq. (paper watermarked 1798). [Published, without opus number, by Mlles. Erard (edition no. 249), in c.1802 (with a different title page, but otherwise using the same (London) plates for the music.]

Three Trios (Bb, Eb, F) for 2 Violins and a Violoncello (Op. "35"; no dedicatee; paper watermarked 1810).

Six String & Wind Trios.

Three Trios (G, A, Bb) for Flute, Tenor [viola] and Violoncello (Op. 9), Dedicated to John Greffuhle, Esq. (published in 1803).

Three Trios, two for 2 Flutes and a Violoncello (D, G), and one for Flute, Violin and Violoncello (C) (Op. 34), Dedicated to the Rev. R. Roberts (paper watermarked 1807).

LOST: Trio for two Horns and Viola da Gamba (first performed on 28 January 1799, London).

Fifteen Violoncello Duets.

Three Solos (C, G, Bb) for the Violoncello with Accompaniment for a Bass [violoncello]. Autograph MS on paper watermarked 1794.

Three Duetts (D, A, G) for two Violoncellos (Op. 4), Dedicated to Sir George Armytage, Bart. (on paper watermarked 1795). [Re-engraved for J. Andre, Offenbach am Main, in 1797, and renumbered "Oeuvre 16." Pleyel also published these works as Op. 16.]

Three easy Duetts (C, G, Eb), in which are introduced several Favorite Airs for Two Violoncellos (Op. 14), Dedicated to Sir George Armytage, Bart. (paper watermarked 1805).

Three Duetts (C, D, F) for Two Violoncellos (Op. 33), Dedicated to Henry Goldsmid, Esq. (published in 1808).

Three Solos (Bb, Eb, F) for the Violoncello with an accompaniment for a Bass [violoncello] (Op. "35"), Dedicated to John Heaviside, Esq. (paper watermarked 1808).