Theodor Gaude

… between German and French Culture

In Advance

Research on musical performing practice, always has been a central part of my work. Since I dealt with the life of Johann Dubez and due to the fact that in literature any kind of biographical view on personal developement (that means what we call a Entwicklungsroman) is essencial, I became interested more and more. See also: Familienforschung. Biographical research always includes a detailled view on the historical context in combination with research on source such as official documents (certificates on birth, marriage, estate, residence, death). Regarding Theodor Gaude, it has shed a new light on the history of the guitar in German speaking countries. We all learned that the guitar came mainly from Italie. I was Amalia of Weimar who brought a guitar to a luthier named Jacob August Otto (that is what he stated in his memoires). Researching on Gaudes adolescence revealed some evidence that the guitar has been introduced by French emigrants. The political context is defined by the Seven Years's War. Thus new evidence on the introduction of the guitar in German language countries arose.

Theodor Gaude was born in July 1782 in Wesel/Lower Rhineland, Germany. His father Claude Gaudé descends from France, it remained unclear, if he or his ancestors emigrated from France to Germany.

Wesel, a prominent centre of trade and member of the Hanse, was frequently a destination for migration from French refugees, mostly protestants or soldiers respectivly traders. In about 1543 refugees from Wallonia -- today the southern part of Belgium -- came, in those days to Wesel. In France persecution of the huguenots commenced since the late 16.th century, In the course of the French religious wars, St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572) refugees and later during the reign of Louis XIV hugenots fled to Germany, in particulary to Prussia.

The first mention of the name Gaude in Wesel to be found in historical documents such as birth, marriage or death certificates etc. is the Weseler Matrikel from 1702 and 1756, a matriculation register for the so called gymnasium. A pupil is mentioned there, his parents were Bartholomée Renaudin from Sedan and Marie Gaude, a couple from Wallonian origin, resident at Wesel. Obviously they were protestants and had fled as refugees due to religious prosecution .

It remains uncertain if there is any genealogical connection between Marie and Claude Gaudé, since Claude was of catholic confession, as usual for French soldiers. It is most likely that Claude came as a soldier in the Region of Lower Rhine in the course of the Seven Year’s War. After the Treaty of Hubertusburg, he stayed there — most probably love was the reason. His wife, Theodor’s mother, was of German origin, her name Catharina Maassen is quite common in the region of Lower Rhine region.

In 1767 Claude Gaudé was mentioned in the Duisburger Intelligentzblatt. He purchased a house close to the Rhine in the centre of Wesel. (Click the arrow on the right hand in this text to learn more.)

Later Documents state that the Claudes ran an inn. Worth to be mentioned: He hosted some of the servants and secretaries of the Marquis de Lafayette who was imprisoned at Wesel in 1792.

According to his parent’s intention, Theodor had to enter a commercial education to become a merchant, but he seriously declined to music. His first instrument was the guitar, in those days still not established in Germany but in France. Paris was the most important centre for the guitar in Europe, we learn this by considering the publication data of method books, beginning with a book by a certain Don*** — in German language countries, the first method book was printed in 1802. It is assumable that French immigrants introduced this instrument in the region of Lower Rhineland maybe earlier than 1788, a date frequently referred to in literature suggesting the guitar to be introduced in German language countries when Anna Amalia Countess of Weimar returned from her stay at Rome. Maybe Theodor made the aquaintance with the guitar the early 1790th, when religious dissidents flew from the French Revolution or even French soldiers in the course of the occupation (due to the French Revolution) of the Rhineland came to Wesel. It ist also conceivable that Claude Gaude was in possession of a guitar or of course that one of Lafayette's secretaries or servants played the guitar during his stay in Gaude’s inn.

Lower Rhine region was not a good place to deal with music in a more sophisticated manner. Thus Paris was the place of choice to receive a musical training. Paris, in those days war a centre of music as well as a centre for the guitar.

Famous composers and teacher tough at the Conservatory: Gossec, Reicha, Cherubini, to name a few. From historical encyclopedia we learn that he also received lesson in composing. We know that he composed a large number of songs and flute pieces - some of them with guitar accompanyment, some of them wie orchestra, suggesting that he also received training as as singer and flutist. The most prominent teachers were the flutist Hugot and Wunderlich and the flutist of Hamburgian origin Hartmann.

About 1805/06 he returned to Wesel, to make his living as a merchant. Letters to André, Offenbach, one of the most prominent music publishing houses as well as letters to Schott in Mayence reveal his goals to continue his musical intentions. In one of these letters, a concert tour to Northern Europe is announce. Indeed he arrived at Hamburg. A severe illness caused him to stay and recover from his desease. He abandoned his plans to continue to St. Petersburg.

In Hamburg, after his recovery, he settled permanently until his death in 1846. He made a living by teaching, publishing his music at Schott, Cranz, Peters, Rudolphus and André. Many letters to Peters, in former times Bureau de musique, survived in the archive of Peters, now housed at the Staatsarchiv in Leipzig. As a concert musician he was not present at public concert life. Only two concerts are mentioned in the newspapers, maybe the problems to make a living with concerts, the economical risks were a hindrance to persuit a carreer as a concert musician. It is obvious that he intended to be a prominent teacher and composer.

The address directory of Hamburg is a valuable source for some biographical details. It is obvious, that Theodor made his living as a guitar teacher, but he also taught singing an the flute. Hamburg was a centre of culture and trading. We see, that very close to some of his addresses also other prominent musicians were resident. So we find, that August Gathy, who later wrote an article on Gaude in his Encyclopedia, lived a few minutes from Gaude. We also find the Cellist Bernhard Romberg and Albert Methfessel, composer and guitarrist,

In 1822 he was naturalized in Hamburg. He married Henriette Dotothea Palm, daughter of Philip Erdman Palm, a prominent merchand in Hamburg. The couple got three children, Theodor Gaude jr., the eldest son, was a guitar teacher as well.

In 1846 he died after having been ill for a long time. (His year of death is proofed in official documents. The Hamburg State Library holds documents on the estate. Wikipedia, following The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek errorously supplies 1835.)

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