Thurston Dart

Robert Thurston Dart (3 September 1921 – 6 March 1971), was an eminent British musicologist, conductor and keyboard player. From 1964 he was Professor of Music at King's College London.

He studied keyboard instruments at the Royal College of Music in London from 1938 to 1939, and also studied mathematics at University College, Exeter (B.Sc. 1942). In 1947 he was appointed assistant lecturer in music at the University of Cambridge, subsequently lecturer (1952), and professor (1962). In 1964 he was named King Edward Professor of Music at King's College, University of London.

As a continuo player he made numerous appearances on the harpsichord, and made many harpsichord, clavichord and organ recordings, especially for the L'Oiseau-Lyre label; he was also a conductor. He served as editor of the Galpin Society Journal from 1947 to 1954 and secretary of Musica Britannica from 1950 to 1965. His book "The Interpretation of Music" (London, 1954) was highly influential, and he also wrote numerous seminal articles on aspects of musical sources, performance and interpretation.

Dart's notable students include the composer Michael Nyman, conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the conductor Christopher Hogwood.

Further reading

*Bent, Ian, ed. (1981). "Source materials and the interpretation of music: a memorial volume to Thurston Dart". London: Stainer & Bell. ISBN 0-85249-511-0.