Introduction
Edward Joseph Dent, generally known by his initials as E. J. Dent (16 July 1876, Ribston, Yorkshire – 22 August 1957, London), was a British writer on music.
Life
Dent was the son of the landowner and politician John Dent Dent. He was educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge, where he sat the Classical Tripos in 1898. He was elected a Fellow of the college in March 1902 having distinguished himself in music both as researcher and a composer. Dent was Professor of Music at Cambridge University from 1926 to 1941. He was President of the I.S.C.M. from its foundation in 1922 until 1938. He was a governor of Sadler's Wells Opera, and translated many libretti for it. He wrote influential books on Alessandro Scarlatti, Ferruccio Busoni, Handel, English operas and the operas of Mozart.
Selected publications
- Alessandro Scarlatti, his life and works
- Mozart's operas
- Foundations of English opera
- Ferruccio Busoni
- A life of Handel
- Opera. Penguin, 1940.