Sophia Dussek

Sophia Giustina Dussek née Corri, later Moralt (b. Edinburgh, 1 May 1775; d. London, ca. 1831) was a Scottish singer, pianist, harpist, and composer of Italian descent. She studied voice with her father, composer, music publisher, and impresario Domenico Corri. Her uncle was composer Natale Corri and her cousin was soprano Fanny Corri-Paltoni. She was well known as a soprano and composer of songs.

In 1792, Dussek married the composer Jan Ladislav Dussek. Following Jan's death in 1812, Sophia married the violist John Alvis Moralt. The couple lived in Paddington, where she founded a music school. There have been numerous misattributions of her work, either from ignorance, or refusal to reject received wisdom. The opus 2 sonatas, however, were published in at least 3 editions in the 1790s by the Corri-Dussek company in London as by Madame Dussek, and there is no reason to doubt that the 6 sonatas of opus 2, including the famous C minor sonata published and misattributed by Schott as by JL, are anything but the work of Sophia. Paris editions of opus 2 published by Pleyell only bear the name Dussek, leading Zabaleta to his misattribution, but nobody actually claimed opus 2 as the work of JL rather than Sophia before the mid 20thC.

Works list

Keyboard

• Sonata for pianoforte (harpsichord) with violin or flute, Op. 1 (London, ca. 1793)
• 3 Sonatas for harpsichord (pianoforte) woth violin, Op. 1 (Paris)
• Sonata for pianoforte (London, ca. 1805)

Harp

• 3 Sonatas with Scots Airs and Reels for the Adagios & Rondos, Op. 2 (Book I): B-flat, G, C minor (London, Corri & Co., 1794)
• 3 Sonatas with Scots Airs and Reels for the Adagios & Rondos, Op. 2 (Book II): E-flat, F, C (London, Corri & Co., 1795)
• 6 Sonatas (Sonatinas): C, F, G, B-flat, F, E (London, 1799), formerly attributed to Jan Ladislav Dussek (Craw d160—d165)
• A French air with variations (London, Chappel & Co., 1820)
• "C’est l’amour": A 3rd French air with variations (London, Chappel & Co., 1820)
• Introduction and March (London, 1822)
• Variations on God Save the King (London, 1822)
• "La Chasse": An original rondo (London, Chappel & Co., 1824)
• at least 7 sets of Favorite Airs (London), some with flute or violin ad libitum
• arrangements

Harp and piano

• Duett (London, ca. 1812)
• Introduction and Waltz (London, 1822)
• arrangements

Editions

• Sophia Corri. Main Works for Solo Harp: 6 Sonatas Op. 2 / French Air / C’est l’Amour / La Chasse. Ed. Floraleda Sacchi. Ut Orpheus Edizioni, 2010 (ISBN 979-0-2153-1828-1)

Selected discography

• Sophia Giustona Corri: Works for solo harp. Includes six Sonatas. Performed (on historical instrument) by Floraleda Sacchi (Tactus Records, 2009, TC.772801)
• Sophia Corri Dussek: Works for solo harp. Includes six Sonatas. Performed (on historical instrument) by Floraleda Sacchi (Amadeus Arte, 2011, AAP11006)
• Sophia Corri-Dussek: works for harp & piano. Includes Piano sonata in A major. Performed (on historical instruments) by Floraleda Sacchi and Marco Cadario (Amadeus Arte, 2011, AAP11007)
• Madame et Monsieur Dussek: harp sonatas, sonatinas and pieces performed (on historical instrument) by Masumi Nagasawa (Etcetera Records, 2012, KTC 1439)
• Jan Ladoslav Dussek. Duos for harp & pianoforte: Sophia's Introduction & waltz performed (on historical instruments) by Masumi Nagasawa & Richard Egarr (Etcetera Records, 2012, KTC 1436)

External links

• Free scores by Sophia Corri Dussek at the International Music Score Library Project