Rudy Toth
Encyclopedia
Rudy Toth was a Canadian composer
, arranger
, conductor
, pianist
, and cimbalom player of Czech
birth. As a composer he wrote works mainly for television and the radio, working frequently for the Canadian Broadcasting Company for over three decades. As a pianist he performed in a number of jazz and dance bands in Toronto and played for radio productions at the CBC. For many years he was active as a concert cimbalon player, appearing as a soloist with symphony orchestras in both Canada and the United States.
and Tony Toth. He was the only child in the family not born in Canada as the family emigrated to Windsor, Ontario
shortly after his birth. As a child he studied the cimbalom with his father. He studied at the Toronto Conservatory of Music (TCM, now the Royal Conservatory) during the 1940s where his instructors included Boris Berlin
(piano), John Weinzweig
(harmony), and Ettore Mazzoleni
(conducting). He pursued further studies in conducting with Walter Susskind
in Toronto and at the Tanglewood Music Center
with Leonard Bernstein
. In 1950 he went to Paris to study the Piano with Gaby Casadesus
.
s in Toronto while studying at the TCM in the early 1940s. He played in bands led by Stan Patton, Ellis McLintock, and Bert Niosi
among others. In the late 1940s he began working as a pianist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
, collaborating frequently on radio programs featuring Howard Cable
. He soon was employed by CBC Television
as a music director for television programs starring Joan Fairfax, Wally Koster, and Denny Vaughan among others. During the late 1950s he played the piano in Phil Nimmons
' jazz band
"Nimmons 'N' Nine". He also actively performed as a cimbalom player up until his retirement in 1989, notably appearing as a soloist in works by Bartók
, Kodály
, and Stravinsky
with orchestras like the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
, the Ivan Romanoff Orchestra, the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra
, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
.
Toth ceased working as a music director at the CBC in 1965, after which he concentrated his efforts on composing jingle
s and theme music
for radio and television. He worked frequently on jingles and theme music with his brother Jerry and with composers Dolores Claman
and Richard Morris between 1965–1970; with the group operating together as Quartet Productions. He and Jerry then formed their own company, Seven-O Productions, with whom he was active composing music for radio and television from 1970-1980. The brother's notably orchestrated the music (with Rudy conducting) for the Emmy Award
nominated CBS production of Once Upon the Brothers Grimm. They also collaborated on several CBC TV specials during the 1970s.
Toth died in Lisle, Ontario in 2009 at the age of 83. His wife was the violin
ist and lyricist
Josephine Toth (née Chuchman). She notably contributed lyrics to several of her husband's projects, including works on the 1977 LP album
Canada: A Young People's Musical Tour of Canada's Provinces and Territories.
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...
, arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, 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 cimbalom player of Czech
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
birth. As a composer he wrote works mainly for television and the radio, working frequently for the Canadian Broadcasting Company for over three decades. As a pianist he performed in a number of jazz and dance bands in Toronto and played for radio productions at the CBC. For many years he was active as a concert cimbalon player, appearing as a soloist with symphony orchestras in both Canada and the United States.
Early life and education
Born in Stare Karasnow, Czechoslovakia, Toth was the son of violinist and cimbalom maker Carl Toth and the elder brother of musicians Jerry TothJerry Toth
Jerry Toth was a Canadian saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, arranger, composer, and record producer.-Life and career:...
and Tony Toth. He was the only child in the family not born in Canada as the family emigrated to Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
shortly after his birth. As a child he studied the cimbalom with his father. He studied at the Toronto Conservatory of Music (TCM, now the Royal Conservatory) during the 1940s where his instructors included Boris Berlin
Boris Berlin
Boris Berlin was a Canadian pianist, music educator, arranger, and composer of Russian birth. He is primarily remembered for his work within the field of piano pedagogy, having published an extensive amount of material in that area and teaching a large number of notable pianists...
(piano), 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...
(harmony), and Ettore Mazzoleni
Ettore Mazzoleni
Ettore Mazzoleni was a Canadian conductor, music educator, writer, and arts administrator of Swiss birth. He was one of the Canadian Opera Company's principal conductors during its early years, working there from 1958-1968...
(conducting). He pursued further studies in conducting with Walter Susskind
Walter Susskind
Jan Walter Susskind was a Czech-born British conductor.-Biography:Susskind was born in Prague, Austria–Hungary, now the Czech Republic. His father was a Viennese music critic and his Czech mother was a piano teacher. At the State Conservatorium he studied under composer Josef Suk, the son-in-law...
in Toronto and 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...
with Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
. In 1950 he went to Paris to study the Piano with Gaby Casadesus
Gaby Casadesus
Gaby Casadesus was a French classical pianist and teacher born in Marseilles, France. She was married to the famous French pianist Robert Casadesus, and their son Jean Casadesus was also a notable pianist....
.
Career
Toth began his performance career playing in dance bandDance band
Dance band can be one of several kinds of musical ensemble:* British dance band* Dansband, a Swedish pop genre* A Eurodance band...
s in Toronto while studying at the TCM in the early 1940s. He played in bands led by Stan Patton, Ellis McLintock, and Bert Niosi
Bert Niosi
Bert Niosi was a Canadian bandleader, known as "Canada's King of Swing".-Biography:...
among others. In the late 1940s he began working as a pianist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
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...
, collaborating frequently on radio programs featuring Howard Cable
Howard Cable
Howard Reid Cable is a conductor, arranger, music director, composer, and radio and television producer.-Biography:...
. He soon was employed by CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
as a music director for television programs starring Joan Fairfax, Wally Koster, and Denny Vaughan among others. During the late 1950s he played the piano in Phil Nimmons
Phil Nimmons
Phillip Rista Nimmons, is a Canadian jazz clarinetist, composer, bandleader, and academic.Born in Kamloops, British Columbia, the son of George Rista and Hilda Louise , he attended Lord Byng Secondary School, graduating in 1940. He then received a B.A. from the University of British Columbia in...
' jazz band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
"Nimmons 'N' Nine". He also actively performed as a cimbalom player up until his retirement in 1989, notably appearing as a soloist in works by Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
, Kodály
Zoltán Kodály
Zoltán Kodály was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. He is best known internationally as the creator of the Kodály Method.-Life:Born in Kecskemét, Kodály learned to play the violin as a child....
, and Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
with orchestras like the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra located in Buffalo, New York. Its primary performing venue is Kleinhans Music Hall, which is a National Historic Landmark. Its regular concert season features gala concerts, classics programming of core repertoire, Pops...
, the Ivan Romanoff Orchestra, the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra
Ottawa Symphony Orchestra
The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra is a full size orchestra in Ottawa including professional, student and amateur musicians. With around 100 musicians, the OSO is Ottawa's largest orchestra, which allows it to perform large symphonic repertoire of the 19th and 20th centuries, including works by...
, and 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...
.
Toth ceased working as a music director at the CBC in 1965, after which he concentrated his efforts on composing jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s and theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
for radio and television. He worked frequently on jingles and theme music with his brother Jerry and with composers Dolores Claman
Dolores Claman
Dolores Claman is a Canadian composer and pianist. She is best known for composing the theme song, known simply as The Hockey Theme, for Hockey Night in Canada, a song often regarded as Canada's second national anthem, which she composed in 1968, and for "A Place to Stand", the popular tune that...
and Richard Morris between 1965–1970; with the group operating together as Quartet Productions. He and Jerry then formed their own company, Seven-O Productions, with whom he was active composing music for radio and television from 1970-1980. The brother's notably orchestrated the music (with Rudy conducting) for the Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nominated CBS production of Once Upon the Brothers Grimm. They also collaborated on several CBC TV specials during the 1970s.
Toth died in Lisle, Ontario in 2009 at the age of 83. His wife was the 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 and lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
Josephine Toth (née Chuchman). She notably contributed lyrics to several of her husband's projects, including works on the 1977 LP album
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
Canada: A Young People's Musical Tour of Canada's Provinces and Territories.