Denise Restout

Denise Restout (November 24, 1915 - March 9, 2004) - keyboard teacher; expert on German and French Baroque performance practice for the keyboard; and in turn, assistant, protégé, domestic partner editor, and biographer for noted harpsichordist Wanda Landowska.

Born in Paris, Restout studied drawing, geometry, art history and painting at the Bazot Studios, and was admitted to the School of Applied Arts of Paris in 1928. Restout received the first medal of the National Conservatory of Music (Paris) in 1930. Restout worked for a time at the Pleyel Company factory in France. In 1933 she began study of the harpsichord with Wanda Landowska and the organ with Joseph Bonnet. As a performer Restout appeared at Landowska's public master classes in France and the Netherlands and in recitals in Paris, Strasbourg and elsewhere.

Restout and Landowska, who was of Polish and Jewish origin, escaped Saint-Leu-la-Forêt, France during the Nazi advance in 1940 and arrived in the United States in 1941 at Ellis Island on the day of the Pearl Harbor attack.

When Landowska died on August 16, 1959, Restout inherited her estate including her papers and collection of musical instruments. Restout continued to teach at the Landowska Center, their home in Lakeville, Connecticut until her death. In 1964 she published, with Robert Hawkins of The Hotchkiss School, Landowska on Music a collection of Landowska's writings on music, which included material from Musique ancienne which Restout translated into English from the original French, and many of the master-class notes that Restout had saved during their flight from France.

Restout was a member of the faculties (at large) of the Barlow School in Amenia, NY, the Peabody Conservatory of Music, the Hartt School, University of Southern Mississippi, and Purchase College.

Later in life, Restout was organist at St. Mary's Roman Catholic church in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Restout was awarded the Amicus Poloniae citation by the government of Poland.