Philip Manuel (1893 – October 6, 1959) was an American pianist, organist,

harpsichord A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...

ist and music educator. With pianist, organist and harpsichordist

Gavin Williamson Sir Gavin Alexander Williamson (born 25 June 1976) is a British politician who served in various Cabinet positions under Prime Ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak between 2016 and 2022, lastly as Minister of State without ...

, he formed a duo in 1922, known as Manuel and Williamson, that helped promote the use of

s as concert instruments. In the spring of 1935, the duo were the first professionals to play Bach's Concerto for Four Harpsichords, BWV 1065, in the United States on this instrument.

Life and career

Philip Manuel was of Portuguese and British descent. He began the study of music at a military school with piano teachers who traveled from town to town. He attended

Grinnell College Grinnell College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, United States. It was founded in 1846 when a group of Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalis ...

in Iowa, where he studied in both the academic and music departments. Following his graduation, he traveled to Vienna to study organ, piano and singing, and then to London. After a time teaching at the

University of North Dakota The University of North Dakota (UND) is a Public university, public research university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States. It was established by the Dakota Territory, Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishm ...

, he moved to Chicago. He served overseas during the War. His was slim, quiet, and scholarly. He wore

pince-nez Pince-nez ( or , plural form same as singular; ) is a style of glasses, popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, that are supported without earpieces, by pinching the bridge of the nose. The name comes from French language, French ''pi ...

instead of spectacles, and tended to stick out his tongue during crucial moments of a musical programme. Manuel's first professional association was as a tenor singer to pianist Gavin Williamson (1897–1989). In 1916 at the University of Chicago, the two men discovered a common interest in harpsichord as a concert instrument. In the 1920s, there were fewer than 50 harpsichords in the United States, most located in museums. Manuel and Williamson went to Paris, where they studied for many years with

Wanda Landowska Wanda Aleksandra Landowska (5 July 1879 – 16 August 1959) was a Polish harpsichordist and pianist whose performances, teaching, writings and especially her many recordings played a large role in reviving the popularity of the harpsichord in t ...

and contracted with Pleyel et Cie to produce two instruments for their use. With these instruments, they initiated concert tours of the United States, and also worked as teachers of harpsichord, piano and voice. The two frequently played with the

Chicago Symphony Orchestra The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891, the ensemble has been based in the Symphony Center since 1904 and plays a summer season at the Ravinia F ...

, and were broadcast on the

National Broadcasting Company The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

radio network. Manuel died in Chicago at age 66. Notable students include Lili Chookasian.

Discography

*''Bach: Concerto in C major for 3 Harpsichords and Strings / Rameau: Les cyclopes'' – Manuel and Williamson Harpsichord Ensemble, members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1948) *''Bach Concerto in C major for 2 Harpsichords and Strings/ Couperin: Musette de Taverny'' – Manuel and Williamson, members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1948)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Manuel, Philip 1893 births 1959 deaths American harpsichordists American music educators 20th-century American classical musicians 20th-century American pianists American male pianists 20th-century male pianists 20th-century American male musicians