Delpha LeAnn House, Ph.D. 1991

Advisor: James Haar

Dissertation Title: Jacques Hotteterre “le Romain”: A Study of his Life and Compositional Style

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Dissertation Abstract:

Jacques Hotteterre “le Romain” (1674-1763) is the most famous member of his family of woodwind players and instrument makers who were active at the French court during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV. His own reputation is based, however, not on the work that he did as a performer or instrument maker, but rather on his publications of music and treatises. This study compiles all of the available biographical information which presents evidence of his activity at court, as well as his teaching, publishing, and other business ventures. Nearly all of Hotteterre’s extant compositions were published between 1708 and 1723, and various reasons account for his subsequent inactivity as a composer. Aside from his craftsmanship and originality, Hotteterre’s importance as a composer must be evaluated in the light of the enormous popularity of the instruments for which he wrote: the transverse flute and the musette.

Whether or not “le Romain” actually travelled to Rome, his music displays the influence of Corelli. A stylistic study of both French music in the 1680s and the music of Corelli was undertaken in order to provide a background for a study of Hotteterre’s compositional style, which synthesizes elements of both earlier styles. From these background studies, the tangible, identifiable characteristics of each profusion of ornaments indicated by signs, melodies which can stand independently of their accompaniment, and rhythms which are remarkably unrepetitive while using a limited number of rhythmic patterns. Corelli’s influence on Hotteterre can be seen in his use of strongly tonal and patterned harmonic progressions, his composition of sonatas which contain structural and harmonic relationships among movements, his use of rounded binary forms, the quantity and quality of imitative and fugal compositions, the rhythmic independence of the parts, the variety of textures and melodic intervals, and the frequency of sequences, suspensions, and internal rests.

Dr. House became a professor of Music at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN in 1978 and retired in 2017. As an active pianist, she published annotated editions of keyboard works by Handel and other Baroque composers. She was also an arts advocate in Duluth, where she worked with Matinee Musicale, the Minnesota Music Teachers Association, and the Minnesota Ballet, where she served as music director.