Harry Freedman
Encyclopedia
Harry Freedman, (April 5, 1922, Łódź, Poland
- September 16, 2005, Toronto
, Canada
) was a Canadian
composer
, english hornist, and music educator of Polish birth. He wrote a significant amount of symphonic
works, including several film score
s, and also composed a substantial amount of chamber music
. He also composed music for six ballet
s, an opera
, some incidental music for the theatre, and a few vocal art songs and choral works
. He was awarded a Juno Award
in 1996 for his symphonic work Touchings, which was recorded by the Esprit Orchestra
on the Nexus label. He won the 1998 composition prize at the International Rostrum of Composers
for Borealis, a symphonic work co-commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
, Soundstreams Canada
, and CBC Radio
. In 2002 the Canadian Music Centre
released a commercial recording dedicated to his music, Canadian Composers Portraits: Harry Freedman.
At the age of three, Freedman immigrated with his family from Poland to Canada where the family settled in Medicine Hat, Alberta
. His father worked in the fur trade
. At the age of 9, Freedman and his family relocated to Winnipeg
where he enrolled at the Winnipeg School of Art at the age of 13 to study the art of painting.
Freedman's musical training began relatively late. He was an admirer of big band
music and began taking his first music lessons in the clarinet
in 1940 at the age of 18. His teacher, Arthur Hart, would eventually become the principal clarinetist of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
and it is from him that Freedman got his first exposure to symphonic music. His musical training was interrupted for several years with the outbreak of World War II
, and he spent 1941-1945 as a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force
. In 1945 he entered The Royal Conservatory of Music where he studied from 1945-1951. His most influential teachers at the school were his music composition professor, John Weinzweig
, and his oboe
instrcutor, Perry Bauman. He also studied in the summers at the Tanglewood Music Center
where he was a pupil of Olivier Messiaen
and Aaron Copland
.
In 1946 Freedman became a member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
as an english hornist, remaining with the orchestra through 1971. In 1951 he helped co-found the Canadian League of Composers
, later serving as the organization president from 1975-1978. From 1972-1981 he taugh at the Courtenay Youth Music Centre where be was also the composer-in-residence. Among his notable pupil there was Gilles Bellemare
. In 1977 he was the subject of a radio documentary
made by Norma Beecroft
for the CBC
. From 1979-1981 he was the president of the Guild of Canadian Film Composers and from 1985-1990 he was music officer for the Toronto Arts Council. In 1980 the Canadian Music Council named him composer of the year, and he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
in 1984. From 1989-1991 he served on the music faculty of the University of Toronto
where he taught classes in music composition and orchestration
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
- September 16, 2005, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
composer
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...
, english hornist, and music educator of Polish birth. He wrote a significant amount of symphonic
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
works, including several film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
s, and also composed a substantial amount of chamber music
Chamber 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...
. He also composed music for six ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
s, an 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...
, some incidental music for the theatre, and a few vocal art songs and choral works
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. He was awarded a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
in 1996 for his symphonic work Touchings, which was recorded by the Esprit Orchestra
Esprit Orchestra
The Esprit Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto dedicated to the performance of new classical works. It was established in 1983 by director Alex Pauk and is Canada's only full-sized orchestra devoted exclusively to new music. Currently, there are 45 full time members...
on the Nexus label. He won the 1998 composition prize at the International Rostrum of Composers
International Rostrum of Composers
The International Rostrum of Composers is an annual forum organized by the International Music Council that offers broadcasting representatives the opportunity to exchange and publicize pieces of contemporary classical music...
for Borealis, a symphonic work co-commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923. The orchestra changed its name to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. The TSO...
, Soundstreams Canada
Soundstreams Canada
Soundstreams Canada is a new music presenter and producer based in Toronto, Ontario. Soundstreams was founded by artistic director Lawrence Cherney in 1982 as Chamber Concerts Canada. Soundstreams produces an annual concert series as well as music festivals and special projects. In June 2009...
, and 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...
. In 2002 the Canadian Music Centre
Canadian Music Centre
The Canadian Music Centre holds Canada's largest collection of Canadian concert music. The CMC exists to promote the works of its Associate Composers in Canada and around the world....
released a commercial recording dedicated to his music, Canadian Composers Portraits: Harry Freedman.
At the age of three, Freedman immigrated with his family from Poland to Canada where the family settled in Medicine Hat, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. His father worked in the fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
. At the age of 9, Freedman and his family relocated to Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
where he enrolled at the Winnipeg School of Art at the age of 13 to study the art of painting.
Freedman's musical training began relatively late. He was an admirer of big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
music and began taking his first music lessons in the clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
in 1940 at the age of 18. His teacher, Arthur Hart, would eventually become the principal clarinetist of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Its primary concert venue is the Centennial Concert Hall, and the orchestra also performs throughout the province of Manitoba.-History:...
and it is from him that Freedman got his first exposure to symphonic music. His musical training was interrupted for several years with the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and he spent 1941-1945 as a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
. In 1945 he entered The Royal Conservatory of Music where he studied from 1945-1951. His most influential teachers at the school were his music composition professor, John Weinzweig
John Weinzweig
John Weinzweig, OC, O.Ont was a Canadian composer of classical music.Born in Toronto, Weinzweig went to Harbord Collegiate Institute, and studied music at the university. In 1937, he left for the United States to study under Bernard Rogers...
, and his oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
instrcutor, Perry Bauman. He also studied in the summers at the Tanglewood Music Center
Tanglewood Music Center
The Tanglewood Music Center is an annual summer music academy in Lenox, Massachusetts, United States, in which emerging professional musicians participate in performances, master classes and workshops designed to provide an intense training and networking experience...
where he was a pupil of Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
and Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
.
In 1946 Freedman became a member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923. The orchestra changed its name to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. The TSO...
as an english hornist, remaining with the orchestra through 1971. In 1951 he helped co-found the Canadian League of Composers
Canadian League of Composers
The Canadian League of Composers is an organization formed in 1951 of Canadian composers primarily interested in raising awareness and acceptance of Canadian music. The activities of the League are overseen and directed by an executive and a National Council...
, later serving as the organization president from 1975-1978. From 1972-1981 he taugh at the Courtenay Youth Music Centre where be was also the composer-in-residence. Among his notable pupil there was Gilles Bellemare
Gilles Bellemare
Gilles Bellemare was a Canadian politician from Quebec. He ran as a Liberal candidate in 1973 for the district of Rosemont and won with 51% of the vote. He was defeated in 1976 with 33% of the vote. He was succeeded by Parti Québécois candidate Gilbert Paquette.-Footnotes:...
. In 1977 he was the subject of a radio documentary
Radio documentary
A radio documentary or feature is a purely acoustic performance devoted to covering a particular topic in some depth, usually with a mixture of commentary and sound pictures. It is broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD...
made by Norma Beecroft
Norma Beecroft
Norma Marian Beecroft is a Canadian composer, producer, broadcaster, and arts administrator. A member of the Canadian League of Composers and an associate of the Canadian Music Centre, she twice won the Canada Council's Lynch-Staunton Award for composition...
for the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. From 1979-1981 he was the president of the Guild of Canadian Film Composers and from 1985-1990 he was music officer for the Toronto Arts Council. In 1980 the Canadian Music Council named him composer of the year, and he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 1984. From 1989-1991 he served on the music faculty of the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
where he taught classes in music composition and orchestration
Orchestration
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
.
See also
- Music of CanadaMusic of CanadaThe music of Canada has influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between...
- List of Canadian composers