Doisy, Charles

Charles Doisy was probably born around 1760, Doisy died in Paris in 1806 or 1807. In 1797, in the last years of his life, he opened a business selling instruments and a music publishing house and began publishing his compositions. This activity continued after his death thanks to his protégé, Pierre-Joseph Plouvier. For many years, Doisy enjoyed a considerable reputation as a guitar and piano teacher, and his many and varied works show a thorough musical education, with a sound knowledge of harmony and composition.

His publications exceed two hundred works, and in the first phase of his career, the guitar used was five-stringed. Only at the end of the 18th century was a sixth string added. Doisy was among the last to compose for the old model, although he eventually accepted the evolution. His previous compositions indicated that the works could be played on five- and six-string guitars. Among his most significant contributions are his methods for guitar, including the famous Principes généraux de la Guitare à cinq et à six cordes, et de la lyre (1801), published in Paris and dedicated to Madame Bonaparte, the future Empress Joséphine.

His production also includes compositions for guitar with other instruments, such as violin, viola, flute, bassoon, and some of the first concerts for guitar with string quartet, composed between 1801 and 1804. These concertos, together with those by Vidal (1792-1793) and A. Lhoyer (1802), are among the earliest examples of concertos for guitar and strings. Finally, Doisy composed this Grand Duo Concertant for guitar and piano.