Canadian composer John Beckwith recounts his early days in Victoria, his studies in Toronto with Alberto Guerrero, his first compositions, and his later studies in Paris with the renowned Nadia Boulanger, of whom he offers a comprehensive personal view. In the memoir's central chapters Beckwith describes his activities as a writer, university teacher, scholar, and administrator. Then, turning to his creative output, he considers his compositions for instrumental music, his four operas, choral music, and music for voice. A final chapter touches on his personal and family life and his...

In Search of Alberto Guerrero is the first full biography of the influential Chilean-Canadian pianist and teacher (1886-1959), describing Guerrero's long career as virtuoso recitalist, chamber music collaborator, concerto soloist, and teacher. Written by composer John Beckwith, who was a student of Guerrero, the book blends research and memoir to piece together the life of a man who once insisted he had no story.

Guerrero was part of the intellectual scene that introduced Chileans to Debussy, Ravel, Cyril Scott, Scriabin, and Schoenberg. He and his brother played an active...

Proceedings of the International Conference of Composers attended by SCEG at the Stratford Festival, Stratford, Ontario in August 1960.

The foremost historian of Canadian music and musical life, Helmut Kallmann is the inspiration for this volume. Its twenty-three contributions, written by prominent composers and writers representing many different regions and both national languages, present a cross-section of current work in historical research, bibliography, analysis, criticism, and creative composition.

Among the subjects covered are bibliographical and historian research on recent musical findings from New France and on early musical activities in various Canadian cities and regions; critical appraisals of...