Harry Somers

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use mdy datesTemplate:Infobox musical artist Harry Stewart Somers, CC (September 11, 1925 – March 9, 1999) was a contemporary Canadian composer.<ref name="Historica">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Somers earned the unofficial title of "Darling of Canadian Composition."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He was a founding member of the Canadian League of Composers (CLC) and involved in the formation of other Canadian music organizations, including the Canada Council for the Arts and the Canadian Music Centre.<ref name="CLC">Template:Cite web</ref> He received commissions from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the Canada Council for the Arts.<ref name="Historica" />

Biography

Early life

Somers was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on September 11, 1925.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Somers did not become involved in formal musical study until he reached his teenage years in 1939 when he met a doctor and his wife—both pianists—who introduced him to classical works. Somers described this first encounter years later: "A spark was ignited, and he became obsessed with music. Almost from that instant, he knew music would be his life, for better or for worse."<ref name="Cherney 1975 6">Template:Cite book</ref>

Musical education

14-year-old Somers began his study of piano after his first exposure under the tutelage of Dorothy Hornfelt, the neighborhood piano teacher.<ref name="Cherney 1975 6"/> After two years of study with her, he was able to pass the Grade VIII examination at the Toronto Conservatory.<ref name="Cherney 1975 6"/>

In 1942, Somers began studying under Reginald Godden at the conservatory, whom he stayed with until 1943.<ref name="Historica"/> Godden later directed him to pursue formal studies under John Weinzweig.<ref name="Cherney 1975 9">Template:Cite book</ref> Weinzweig set up a program of traditional harmony study for him to study the 12-tone techniques. (Schoenberg had enforced similarly strict lessons in traditional harmony upon his own pupils, even as he encouraged them to explore dodecaphony.) Somers remained under Weinzweig's instruction until 1949.<ref name="Historica"/>

Somers took a sabbatical from his studies in 1943 to serve with the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II.<ref name="Historica" /> After WWII, Somers returned to the Royal Conservatory to continue his studies with Weinzweig with a new piano teacher, Weldon Kilburn. During this time, Somers was writing and performing his own works.<ref name="Historica"/> Somers completed his studies at the conservatory in 1948 and then spent the summer in San Francisco studying piano under E. Robert Schmitz.<ref name="Canadian Music Centre">Template:Cite web</ref> His work was part of the music event in the art competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1949, Somers started to focus on composition.<ref name="Historica"/> In 1949, he was awarded a $2000 Canadian Amateur Hockey Association scholarship to spend a year in Paris studying composition with Darius Milhaud.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> Somers composed his suite for harp and orchestra in 1949.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> In Paris, Somers heard the music of Boulez and Messiaen; these composers would influence his later music.

1950s and 1960s

After his year with Darius Milhaud, Somers spent the 1950s devoted to composition. He earned his income as a music copyist.<ref name="Historica"/> He composed his Symphony No.1 in 1951.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> In the 1950s, he improved his guitar skills.<ref name="Historica" /> In the 1960s, he earned money of his commissions.<ref name="Historica" /> He returned to Paris for more compositional studies with Canada Council for the Arts fellowship. While there, he concentrated on Gregorian chant, particularly its revival by the Solesmes Abbey.<ref name="Historica" /> In 1963, he became a member of the John Adaskin Project, which was an in-school initiative.<ref name="Historica" /> Also in 1963, Somers began his part-time career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation by hosting televised youth concerts.<ref name="Historica" />

Somers's first wife, Catherine Mackie, died in 1963.<ref name="Historica" />

In 1965, Somers began hosting the CBC radio series "Music of Today" and continued hosting it until 1969.<ref name="Historica" /> He also became the special consultant of the North York School in Toronto from 1968 to 1969.<ref name="Historica" /> In 1967, he remarried to the Canadian actress Barbara Chilcott.<ref name="Historica" /> Also in 1967, he produced his best-known work, the opera Louis Riel, commissioned for Canada's Centennial Year celebrations.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> In 1969, he received an $18,000 grant from the Canadian Cultural Institute in Rome. He spent two years there, during which time he wrote Voiceplay and Kyrie.<ref name="Historica" />

1970s – 1990s

In 1971, after he returned to Canada from his work in Rome, Somers was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.<ref name="Canadian Music Centre"/> He was awarded three honorary doctorates: one from the University of Ottawa (1975), one from York University (1975), and one from the University of Toronto (1976).<ref name="Canadian Music Centre"/> In 1977, Somers made a visit to the USSR. While there, he gave lectures on Contemporary Canadian composition and spoke to other contemporary composers.<ref name="Historica" /> During the 1980s, Somers received commissions for the Banff International String Quartet Competition, the Guelph Spring Festival, the S.C. Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition and the Canadian Opera Company.<ref name="Historica" />

In the 1990s, he composed two operas, Serinette to a libretto by James Reaney,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Mario the Magician, which was adapted from a story by Thomas Mann.

Somers also completed his music Third Piano Concerto in 1996.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref> Somers gave the opening address at the Alberta Music Conference in 1993, wrote a choral piece for the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations in 1995, and served as the writer-in-residence for the first "Word and Music Festival" held at the University of Windsor in 1997.<ref name="Historica" /> Canada honoured him in 1995 with tribute concerts given by the University of Ottawa and the National Arts Centre for his 70th birthday.<ref name="Historica" />

Somers died on March 9, 1999, in Toronto, Ontario.<ref name="Historica"/>

Styles

Harry Somers had an eclectic approach. His music was performed in the US, Central and South Americas, Europe and the Soviet Union.<ref name="Historica"/> His works include techniques such as vocalization, vowel and breath sounds, and timbrel inflections.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The styles that are said to have influenced Somers the most are the music of Weinzweig, Bartók and Ives, Baroque counterpoint, serial technique and Gregorian chant.<ref name=":0" />

Under Weinzweig, during the 1940s, Somers received his first formal instruction in composition. Prior to that point, he composed mainly in the style of the piano works he was playing.<ref name="Cherney 1975 6" /> In 1950s, Somers focused on the use of fugue-related textures and techniques.<ref name=":0" /> Over half of the works written between 1950 and 1961 contain fugal movements. Some of his works feature "sharp, nervous, rhythmic vitality, which often serves as a foil for slower-moving subsidiary melodic lines."<ref name=":0" />

Bibliography

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• Zinck, Andrew M. (1993). "Bridging the Gap: The Operas of Harry Somers." SoundNotes. SN4:14-24.

External links

• Harry Somers. The Canadian Encyclopedia (includes a complete list of his compositions)
• Harry Somers. Canadian Music Centre
• Harry Somers. Discography at Discogs.com
• Harry Somers fonds (R12599). Library and Archives Canada