author

George Dubourg

1799–1882

Best remembered for a lively, often reprinted history of the violin, this 19th-century music writer helped bring performers, anecdotes, and musical culture to a wide readership. He also wrote song lyrics and spent many years contributing to newspapers, especially in Brighton.

1 Audiobook

The Violin Some Account of That Leading Instrument and Its Most Eminent Professors, from Its Earliest Date to the Present Time; with Hints to Amateurs, Anecdotes, etc.

The Violin Some Account of That Leading Instrument and Its Most Eminent Professors, from Its Earliest Date to the Present Time; with Hints to Amateurs, Anecdotes, etc.

by George Dubourg

About the author

Born in 1799, George Dubourg was an English writer with strong ties to music. He was the grandson of the violinist Matthew Dubourg, and he became known above all for writing about the violin and its leading players.

His best-known book, The Violin, being an Account of that leading Instrument and its most eminent Professors, was first published in 1836 and reprinted many times afterward, showing its long appeal to readers interested in music history and performance. Alongside that work, he also wrote the words for a number of songs, including the well-known "Wanted a Governess."

During much of his long life, Dubourg contributed to newspapers, particularly in Brighton. He later settled in Maidenhead, Berkshire, where he died on April 17, 1882.