Theodore Frederic Molt

Theodore Frederic Molt (originally Johann Friedrich Molt; 13 February 1795 – 16 November 1856)[1] was a German-born music teacher, composer and organist in Canada. He published several works on teaching methods in music.

Life

Molt was born in Gschwend, near Stuttgart, the son of a Lutheran organist. Soon after entering university he was conscripted into Napoleon's army, and served as assistant paymaster. On returning home he studied music; in 1822 he went to Canada, and lived in Quebec City, where he was a teacher of piano and music theory. In 1823 he married Henriette, daughter of Frédéric-Henri Glackemeyer, a musician in Quebec.[1][2]

He travelled to Europe in June 1825, and met musicians including Ignaz Moscheles, Karl Czerny and Ludwig van Beethoven; it is thought that he did not receive lessons from them. Beethoven presented him with the canon "Freu' dich des Lebens". Molt returned to Canada in June 1826, and continued as a music teacher.[1][2]

He published in 1828 Elementary Treatise on Music/Traité élémentaire de musique, the first bilingual Canadian treatise on music.[1][2] In 1833 he moved to Burlington, Vermont, where he was a teacher at the Burlington Female Seminary, and composed music. He moved to Montreal in 1837; apparently unsuccessful there as a teacher, he returned to Quebec City by 1841.[2]

In that year Molt was appointed organist at Québec Basilica,[1][2] where he established a cathedral choir; in 1845 he published Traité élémentaire de musique vocale. In June 1846, his wife and two of his children died when the Théâtre Saint-Louis burned down. Two years later he married Harriett Cowan.[2]

In 1849 Antoine Dessane replaced him as organist at Québec Basilica, and he moved to Burlington, resuming teaching at the Burlington Female Seminary. He published during this time A New and original method for the pianoforte, 51 progressive lessons, and The pupil’s guide and young teacher’s manual, or the elements of piano forte playing.[2]

Molt died in Burlington in 1856.[2]

Compositions

He composed piano pieces and songs, some of which were published in Canada and America.[1] He made many arrangements of sacred music. La lyre canadienne: répertoire des meilleures chansons et romances du jour, published anonymously in Quebec in 1847, is attributed to Molt.[2]

References
  1. "Theodore Frederic Molt" The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  2. "Molt, Théodore-Frédéric" Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
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