Alexis Contant
Encyclopedia
Joseph Pierre Alexis Contant (12 November 1858 - 28 November 1918) was a Canadian composer
, organist
, pianist
, and music educator. The first notable Canadian composer to be entirely trained in his native country, he stated "I write not for glory but rather to satisfy an irresistible need." Although he had considerable training as a pianist, his knowledge of musical composition was largely self-taught, although not by choice as his life afforded him little opportunity to find suitable teachers. Much of his time was spent dedicated towards teaching, family, and work as a church organist, and his compositional output was minimal before 1900. As his children grew older, he was able to devote more time to composition and therefore his later life was his most productive. A stroke in 1914 virtually ended his activity as a composer.
, Constant was the son of two highly talented amateur musicians. His father was a violin
ist who was involved in a number of community ensembles and his mother was a piano and voice student of Emma Albani
. His younger siblings, Marie and Joseph-Albert, also became musicians. All three children had their initial musical lessons from their mother. At the age of 11, Constant became a pupil of organist and pianist Joseph-A. Fowler
and two years later gave his first public recital. At the age of 17 he became a student of Calixa Lavallée
, who had just returned from Paris. Constant himself wanted to pursue studies in Europe, but his father forbade him to go in fear that European society might be detrimental to Alexis's religious faith.
Constant spent his late teenage years and early twenties working as an accompanist for a variety of artists, including violinist Frantz Jehin-Prume
. He took a post teaching at the Collège de L'Assomption in 1880–1881. In 1883 he traveled with Lavallée to Boston where he was able to pursue intense studies with his teacher in music composition, harmony
, and counterpoint
. While there he also had the opportunity to attend opera
s for the first time and went to many orchestra
l concerts and recitals. He was particularly moved by a concert of Charles Gounod
's La Rédemption. During the trip, Lavallée became ill and Constant was asked to substitute for his teacher in several concerts; performances which gave him attacks of severe stage fright
. These attacks led him to decide to abandon a performance career in favor of composition, teaching, and the organ for church work.
Upon returning to Montreal in June 1883, Constant became a pupil of organist and composer Guillaume Couture
, but the two did not get along well and he soon left. He decided to pursue studies in composition on his own by analyzing the scores of the great works by master composers like Bach
, Mozart, Wagner, Massenet, and Franck
among others. He joined the faculty at the Collège de Montréal
, teaching there until 1890. In 1885 he took a post as organist at St-Jean-Baptiste Church in Montreal, a position he held until his death more than thirty years later. From 1900 to 1918 he taught at Mont-St-Louis College and from 1905 to 1917 he taught at the Conservatoire national de musique
. He also ran an active private studio out of his home. Among his notable pupils were Victor Brault, Claude Champagne
, Orpha-F. Deveaux
, J.-J. Gagnier
, Rodolphe Mathieu
and Wilfrid Pelletier
. His daughter Fleurette was a concert singer and music teacher and his grandson Jean-Yves Contant worked as a producer for CBC Radio
from 1938-1979. His other daughter, Aline, was married to the painter Georges Delfosse.
, and several pieces for solo piano and solo organ. His works were published in Paris by Hamelle, Haussman, and L. Grus and in Montreal by Archambault, Beauchemin, Joseph-Émile Bélair, A.J. Boucher, L. Cardinal, Édition Belgo-Canadienne, and J.-G. Yon and in Le Passe-Temps. The Canadian Encyclopedia
states that, "Contant was a pioneer whose vision was on a large scale, and although the results of his efforts do not equal his ambitions, he displays a sincerity and honesty worthy of admiration."
One of Contant's first pieces to be widely played in both Canada and Europe was La Lyre enchantée (1875), a 'fantaisie-nocturne' for piano that is reminiscent of Chopin
. His third mass had a very positive reception at its premiere on 1 February 1903 at the Monument national in a performance conducted by Edmond Hardy. The work greatly furthered his reputation as a composer. Also premiered at the Monument-National
was his Caïn on 12 November 1905, one of the first oratorio
s written by a Canadian composer. He wrote a second oratorio, Les Deux Âmes, which was composed between 1905 and 1909 but did not premiere until 1913. His Trio for violin, cello and piano is the most often performed of his major works. In 1914 he suffered a paralytic stroke which severely limited his mobility. After the stroke he composed only one more song, Sur Un Crucifix to a poem by Albert Lozeau.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, and music educator. The first notable Canadian composer to be entirely trained in his native country, he stated "I write not for glory but rather to satisfy an irresistible need." Although he had considerable training as a pianist, his knowledge of musical composition was largely self-taught, although not by choice as his life afforded him little opportunity to find suitable teachers. Much of his time was spent dedicated towards teaching, family, and work as a church organist, and his compositional output was minimal before 1900. As his children grew older, he was able to devote more time to composition and therefore his later life was his most productive. A stroke in 1914 virtually ended his activity as a composer.
Life
Born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Constant was the son of two highly talented amateur musicians. His father was a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist who was involved in a number of community ensembles and his mother was a piano and voice student of Emma Albani
Emma Albani
Dame Emma Albani DBE was a leading soprano of the 19th century and early 20th century, and the first Canadian singer to become an international star. Her repertoire focused on the operas of Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini and Wagner...
. His younger siblings, Marie and Joseph-Albert, also became musicians. All three children had their initial musical lessons from their mother. At the age of 11, Constant became a pupil of organist and pianist Joseph-A. Fowler
Joseph-A. Fowler
Joseph-A. Fowler was a Canadian composer, organist, choirmaster, pianist, and music educator. His compositional output mainly consists of sacred music, although he did compose some secular songs for voice and piano and a number of works for solo piano. He wrote two masses for choir and orchestra:...
and two years later gave his first public recital. At the age of 17 he became a student of Calixa Lavallée
Calixa Lavallée
Calixa Lavallée, , born Calixte Lavallée, was a French-Canadian-American musician and Union officer during the American Civil War who composed the music for O Canada, which officially became the national anthem of Canada in 1980.-Biography:Calixa Lavallée was born at Verchères, a suburb of...
, who had just returned from Paris. Constant himself wanted to pursue studies in Europe, but his father forbade him to go in fear that European society might be detrimental to Alexis's religious faith.
Constant spent his late teenage years and early twenties working as an accompanist for a variety of artists, including violinist Frantz Jehin-Prume
Frantz Jehin-Prume
Frantz Jehin-Prume was a Canadian violinist, composer, and music educator of Belgian birth. He began his career as a highly successful concert violinist in Europe. From 1865 on he lived and worked mainly in Montreal, Canada; becoming one of the most important 19th century musical figures in Quebec...
. He took a post teaching at the Collège de L'Assomption in 1880–1881. In 1883 he traveled with Lavallée to Boston where he was able to pursue intense studies with his teacher in music composition, harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
, and counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
. While there he also had the opportunity to attend opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s for the first time and went to many orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l concerts and recitals. He was particularly moved by a concert of Charles Gounod
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
's La Rédemption. During the trip, Lavallée became ill and Constant was asked to substitute for his teacher in several concerts; performances which gave him attacks of severe stage fright
Stage fright
Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, whether actually or potentially . In the context of public speaking, this fear is termed glossophobia, one of the most common...
. These attacks led him to decide to abandon a performance career in favor of composition, teaching, and the organ for church work.
Upon returning to Montreal in June 1883, Constant became a pupil of organist and composer Guillaume Couture
Guillaume Couture
Guillaume Cousture was a citizen of New France. During his life he was a lay missonary with the Jesuits, a survivor of torture, a member of an Iroquois council, a translator, a diplomat, a militia captain, and a lay leader among the colonists of the Pointe-Lévy in the Seigneury of Lauzon...
, but the two did not get along well and he soon left. He decided to pursue studies in composition on his own by analyzing the scores of the great works by master composers like Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
, Mozart, Wagner, Massenet, and Franck
Franck
- People :* César Franck , Belgian composer of the Romantic era* George Franck , University of Minnesota & New York Giant* Harry A...
among others. He joined the faculty at the Collège de Montréal
Collège de Montréal
The Collège de Montréal is a private secondary school for students attending grades 7–11 located in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A former Roman Catholic Seminary, it was founded 1 June 1767 as the Petit Séminaire of Montreal by the Suplician Order...
, teaching there until 1890. In 1885 he took a post as organist at St-Jean-Baptiste Church in Montreal, a position he held until his death more than thirty years later. From 1900 to 1918 he taught at Mont-St-Louis College and from 1905 to 1917 he taught at the Conservatoire national de musique
Conservatoire national de musique
Conservatoire national de musique was a music conservatory in Montreal, Quebec that was actively providing higher education in music during the first eight decades of the 20th century...
. He also ran an active private studio out of his home. Among his notable pupils were Victor Brault, Claude Champagne
Claude Champagne
Claude Champagne was a Canadian composer.Born in Montreal, Quebec, he studied violin with Albert Chamberland, organ with Orpha-F. Deveaux, and piano with Romain-Octave Pelletier I and Alexis Contant at the Conservatoire national de musique. In 1921 he went straight to Paris to study music...
, Orpha-F. Deveaux
Orpha-F. Deveaux
Orpha-F. Deveaux was an American organist, pianist, and music educator. Born in Saginaw, Michigan, he studied at the New York College of Music with Mat Schmidt and privately in Montreal with Alexis Contant and Percival J. Illsley...
, J.-J. Gagnier
J.-J. Gagnier
Jean-Josaphat Gagnier was a Canadian conductor, composer, clarinetist, bassoonist, pianist, arts administrator, and music educator. His compositional output mainly consists of works for orchestra and band, although he did write some choral pieces, songs, works for solo piano and organ, some...
, Rodolphe Mathieu
Rodolphe Mathieu
Joseph Rodolphe Mathieu was a Canadian composer, pianist, writer on music, and music educator. The Canadian Encyclopedia states, "Considered too avant-garde for his time because of Debussy's influence on his music, Mathieu gained recognition too late to inspire the generation that followed." The...
and Wilfrid Pelletier
Wilfrid Pelletier
Joseph Louis Wilfrid Pelletier , CC was a Canadian conductor, pianist, composer, and arts administrator. He was instrumental in establishing the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, serving as the orchestra's first artistic director and conductor from 1935-1941...
. His daughter Fleurette was a concert singer and music teacher and his grandson Jean-Yves Contant worked as a producer for CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
from 1938-1979. His other daughter, Aline, was married to the painter Georges Delfosse.
Compositions
Constant's compositional output includes several symphonic works and works for chorus and orchestra, works for chorus with organ accompaniment, a small body of chamber musicChamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
, and several pieces for solo piano and solo organ. His works were published in Paris by Hamelle, Haussman, and L. Grus and in Montreal by Archambault, Beauchemin, Joseph-Émile Bélair, A.J. Boucher, L. Cardinal, Édition Belgo-Canadienne, and J.-G. Yon and in Le Passe-Temps. The Canadian Encyclopedia
The Canadian Encyclopedia
The Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...
states that, "Contant was a pioneer whose vision was on a large scale, and although the results of his efforts do not equal his ambitions, he displays a sincerity and honesty worthy of admiration."
One of Contant's first pieces to be widely played in both Canada and Europe was La Lyre enchantée (1875), a 'fantaisie-nocturne' for piano that is reminiscent of Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
. His third mass had a very positive reception at its premiere on 1 February 1903 at the Monument national in a performance conducted by Edmond Hardy. The work greatly furthered his reputation as a composer. Also premiered at the Monument-National
Monument-National
The Monument-National is a historic Canadian theatre located at 1182 Saint Laurent Boulevard in Montreal, Quebec. Erected between 1891 and 1894, it was originally the Cultural centre of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society.-Yiddish theatre:...
was his Caïn on 12 November 1905, one of the first oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
s written by a Canadian composer. He wrote a second oratorio, Les Deux Âmes, which was composed between 1905 and 1909 but did not premiere until 1913. His Trio for violin, cello and piano is the most often performed of his major works. In 1914 he suffered a paralytic stroke which severely limited his mobility. After the stroke he composed only one more song, Sur Un Crucifix to a poem by Albert Lozeau.