John Beckwith (composer)


John Beckwith was a Canadian composer, writer, pianist, teacher, and administrator.
Born in Victoria, British Columbia, he studied piano with Alberto Guerrero at the Toronto Conservatory of Music in 1945. Beckwith received a Bachelor of Music in 1947 and a Master of Music in 1961 from the University of Toronto. In 1950-51, he studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. He began teaching at University of Toronto's Faculty of Music in 1952. From 1970-77, he was the dean of the faculty. He was founding director of the Institute for Canadian Music at the University of Toronto. In 1987, he was made a member of the Order of Canada. He retired from the university in 1990.
Beckwith wrote over 160 compositions covering stage, orchestral, chamber, solo and choral genres. He also wrote 17 books, the last of which - Music Annals: Research and Critical Writings by a Canadian Composer - was published shortly before his death in 2022.

Education

In 1945, after several years of studying piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Beckwith received a Conservatory scholarship that allowed him to study piano with Alberto Guerrero at the University of Toronto where he obtained his Mus.B. His other teachers included Leo Smith and John Weinzweig. In 1950 he was awarded a second scholarship, this time from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The scholarship allowed him to travel to Paris, where he studied composition under Nadia Boulanger. Under Weinzweig's supervision, Beckwith earned his Mus.M. from the University of Toronto in 1961.

Career

After studying in Paris, Beckwith returned to Toronto to pursue further studies and became active as a performing musician, actor, critic, radio commentator, writer, lecturer and broadcaster. In 1952, he returned to the University of Toronto, but this time as a part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Music. He was appointed full-time lecturer in 1955. He remained in this position for several years, and eventually became dean of the faculty from 1970-77. Beckwith was the first Jean A. Chalmers Professor of Canadian Music and the first director of the Institute for Canadian Music at the University of Toronto. He retired in 1990 to devote more time to composing. Among his notable pupils were Brian Cherney, Gustav Ciamaga, Omar Daniel, John Fodi, Clifford Ford, Ben McPeek, James Rolfe, Clark Ross, Matthew Davidson, and Timothy Sullivan.
While teaching, Beckwith remained active in several areas of the musical community. A co-founder of the Canadian Music Centre in 1959, he wrote for the Toronto Star from 1959-65 as an arts critic and columnist, and was a writer and associate producer of documentaries and music series for CBC Radio. Beginning in 1981, he worked as a director for the Canadian Musical Heritage Society, which he had co-founded that same year. He prepared two of the society's 25-volume series of pre-1950 Canadian-composed music. In 1986, a five-record set of his music was included in the Anthology of Canadian Music series. The Beckwith portrait in the Canadian Composers Portraits series was released in 2003.
A collection of 25 of his music articles and talks was published by Golden Dog Press in 1997 under the title Music Papers. In 2006, his biography In Search of Alberto Guerrero was published by Wilfrid Laurier Press. With Brian Cherney, he edited Weinzweig: Essays on His Life and Music in 2011 and, with Robin Elliott, he edited Mapping Canada's Music: Selected Writings of Helmut Kallmann in 2013.
Beckwith's autobiography, Unheard Of: Memoirs of a Canadian Composer, was published by Wilfrid Laurier Press in 2012.
He was the recipient of many honours including from the Canadian Music Council in 1972 and 1984, Toronto Arts award in 1995, Diplôme d'honneur from the Canadian Conference of the Arts in 1996, honorary membership in the Canadian University Music Society in 1999, and honorary doctorates from McGill, Mount Allison, Queen's, Victoria, and Guelph universities. Taking a Stand: Essays in Honour of John Beckwith, a festschrift on the occasion of his retirement, was published in 1995.

Compositional style

Beckwith composed over 160 large works. While the majority of his works are settings of Canadian texts for voice, he also wrote for orchestral and chamber groups as well as solo instrumental pieces and choral music.
Beckwith was a modernist whose eclectic compositional vocabulary was sustained "by a broad palette of idioms, colours, and by the availability of a rich variety of forming procedures." Most of his compositions have themes that connect to historical or regional Canada. Beckwith was deeply interested in Canadian folk song and set around 200 of these songs, including Four Love Songs and Five Songs. Most of the arrangements were written in 1981-91 during his involvement with Music at Sharon, a summer concert series. He often collaborated with Canadian writers when setting text for voice including James Reaney, Jay Macpherson, Margaret Atwood, bpNichol, Georges Sioui, and Dennis Lee;. his most extensive collaboration was with Reaney, with whom he wrote a number of works for the stage. Beckwith also set texts of e.e. cummings, John Millington Synge, Samuel Beckett, and poems of the Tang dynasty translated by Witter Bynner.

List of works

Based on the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada and the John Beckwith website, University of Toronto. Unpublished works are at the Canadian Music Centre and the Beckwith fonds, University of Toronto.

Stage

  • Night Blooming Cereus. 1953-58. 8 singers, 14 instruments. Ms
  • The Killdeer, incidental music. 1960, rescored 1961. Prepared piano. Ms
  • The Hector, documentary cantata. 1990. Soprano, early-instrument ensemble. Ms
  • The Shivaree. 1964-65, 1977-78. Revisions with prologue added, 1982.. 12 singers, 20 instr. Ms
  • Crazy to Kill. 1987-88. 3 singers, 2 speakers, 2 instruments, tape. Ms
  • Lucas et Cécile. 1808-09. Concert arrangement of a comic opera by Joseph Quesnel with orchestration by Beckwith. Soli, orchestra. Ms
  • Taptoo!. 1993-95. 18 singers, 18 instruments. Ms

Orchestra and band

  • Music for Dancing. 1948, orch 1959. BMI Canada 1961. CBC SM-47/5-ACM 26
  • Montage. 1953, rescored 1955. Orchestra. Ms
  • Fall Scene and Fair Dance. 1956. Violin, clarinet, strings. BMI Canada 1957. 1977. Lethbridge Symphony Assn LSA-101
  • Concerto Fantasy. 1959. Piano, orchestra. Berandol
  • Flower Variations and Wheels. 1962. Rev. 1979. Orchestra. Berandol
  • Concertino. 1963. Horn, orchestra. Berandol
  • Jonah, cantata. 1963. BMI Canada 1969
  • Place of Meeting. 1967. Speaker, tenor, blues singer, SATB, orchestra. Ms
  • Elastic Band Studies. 1969, rev. 1975. Concert band. Ms
  • . Narrator, orchestra. Orchestra Berandol, piano arrangement.
  • A Concert of Myths. 1983. Flute, orchestra. Ms
  • Peregrine. 1989. Viola, percussion, small orchestra. Ms
  • Round and Round. 1991-92. Orchestra. Ms
  • Fifteen Figural Chorales from J.S. Bach's Das Orgelbüchlein, 1991. Orchestra. Ms
  • Fourteen Figural Chorales from J.S. Bach's Das Orgelbüchlein, 1993. Orchestra. Ms
  • Sixteen Figural Chorales from J.S. Bach's Das Orgelbüchlein, 1997. Orchestra. Ms
  • Madness. 2003 2 oboes, bassoon, strings. Ms
  • Three Brass Rings. 2007 11 brasses. Ms
  • Variations. 2011. String orchestra. Ms

Chamber

  • The Great Lakes Suite. 1949. Soprano, baritone, clarinet, cello, piano.
  • Five Pieces for Flute Duet. 1951. BMI Canada 1962
  • Four Pieces for Bassoon Duet. 1951. Ms
  • Quartet for Woodwind Instruments. 1951. Ms
  • Three Studies for String Trio. 1956. Ms
  • Circle, with Tangents. 1967. Harpsichord, 13 solo strings. BMI Canada 1968
  • Taking a Stand. 1972. 5 players, 8 brass instruments, 14 music stands. Berandol 1975
  • Musical Chairs. 1973. String quintet, contrabassoon. Berandol 1980
  • Quartet. 1977. String quartet. Ms. Melbourne SMLP-4038/5-ACM 26
  • Case Study: a multi-purpose quintet. 1980. Any 5 instruments. Ms
  • Eight Miniatures: arranged from the Alan Ash manuscript. 1981. Violin, piano. Ms
  • Sonatina in Two Movements. 1981. Trumpet, piano. Ms
  • Tunes of the Sharon Band. 1982. Brass quintet. Sonante 1984
  • Arctic Dances. 1984. Oboe, piano. Ms. McGill U Records 85026
  • For Starters G.E.C. .1984. 11 brass instr. Ms
  • College Airs. 1990. String quartet. Ms
  • Echoes of Quesnel. 1995. Violin, viola, cor anglais, organ. Ms
  • Echoes of Thiele. 1995. Chamber orchestra. Ms
  • Eureka. 1996. 9 wind instruments. Ms
  • Lines Overlapping. 1996-97. Banjo, harpsichord. Ms
  • Blurred Lines. 1997. Violin, harpsichord. Ms
  • Ringaround. 1998. Celtic harp, harpsichord. Ms
  • A Game of Bowls. 1999. 3 percussion. Ms
  • Workout. 2001. 4 percussion. Ms
  • A New Pibroch. 2002. Highland pipes, percussion, 7 strings. Ms
  • Back to Bolivia. 2006. Clarinet quartet. Ms
  • Fractions. 2006. 16th-tone piano, string quartet. Ms
  • Animals with Horns. 2007. Trumpet, euphonium. Ms
  • Play and Sing. 2008. cello, soprano. Ms
  • After Simpson. 2010. 2 recorders, 2 viola da gamba. Ms
  • Breaking Silence. 2013. Cello. Ms
  • Sonatina on "Mairi's Wedding." 2013. Flute, piano. Ms
  • Follow me. 2013. Clarinet, piano. Ms. Centrediscs CMC-1774
  • Ut re me fa sol la. 2013. Guitar. Ms
  • Quintet. 2015. Flute, trumpet, bassoon, viola, double bass. Ms
  • Calling. 2016. Flugelhorn, euphonium, 2 tenor trombones, bass trombone, double bass. Ms. Centrediscs CMC-1774
  • Meanwhile. 2018. Marimba, piano. Ms. Analekta 29129

Keyboard(s)

  • Four Conceits. 1945, rev. 1948. Piano. Ms. RCI 228/RCA CCS-1022
  • Music for Dancing. 1948. Piano, 4 hands. Ms. RCI 113
  • The Music Room. 1951. Piano. Frederick Harris 1955. RCI 134
  • Novelette. 1951. Piano. BMI Canada 1954. Centrediscs CMC-1684/5-ACM 26
  • Six Mobiles. 1959. Piano. BMI Canada 1960. CCM-2
  • Interval Studies. 1962. Piano. BMI Canada 1962
  • Suite on Old Tunes. 1967. Piano. BMI Canada 1967. CCM-2
  • Variation piquant sur la `Toronto Opera House Waltz.' 1967. 2 piano. Ms
  • New Mobiles. 1971. Piano. Waterloo 1972
  • Upper Canadian Hymn Preludes. 1976-77. Organ, prepared tape. Ms. Centrediscs CMC-1784/5-ACM 26
  • Keyboard Practice. 1979. 4 players, 10 keyboard.. 5-ACM 24
  • Etudes. 1983. Piano. Ms. Counterpoint. 5-ACM 26
  • On the Other Hand. 1997. Harpsichord. Ms
  • March, March! 2001. Piano. Ms
  • The Cheese Stands Still. 2004. Piano. Ms
  • Light Work. 2007. 16th-tone piano, 4 hands. Ms
  • Yesteryear. 2010. Piano, 4 hands. Ms
  • Pages. 2016. Piano. Ms

Choir

  • The Trumpets of Summer. 1964. Soloists, SATB, narrator, chamber ensemble Berandol. CBC SM 81/RCI 340/ Cap ST-6323/5-ACM 26
  • Sharon Fragments. 1966. SATB. Waterloo1966. Capitol ST-6258/Seraphim S-60085
  • The Sun Dance. 1968. SATB, speaker, organ, percussion. Independently published. 1968
  • Three Blessings. 1968. SATB, instruments. BMI Canada 1968. CBC SM-81/RCI 340/Capitol ST-6323
  • Gas!. 1969. 20 speaking voices. Berandol 1978
  • 1838. 1970. SATB. Novello 1970
  • Papineau. 1977. 2 equal voices. Gordon V. Thompson 1978. Centrediscs CMC-2285
  • Three Motets on Swan's 'China'.'1981. SATB. Waterloo1983. Melbourne SMLP-4041/5-ACM 26
  • A Little Organ Concert. 1982. SATB, organ, brass quintet. Ms
  • A Canadian Christmas Carol. 1984. SATB, harmonium. Gordon V. Thompson 1989. CBC SM-5055
  • Mating Time. 1982. SATB, percussion, electric keyboard. Ms
  • Harp of David. 1985. SATB. Ms. Centrediscs CMC-CD-3790
  • The Banks of Newfoundland.1985. Baritone, SATB Gordon V. Thompson 1987
  • Three Burns Songs .1986. SATB. Gordon V. Thompson 1987
  • Farewell To Nova Scotia.1985. Baritone, SATB, piano, percussion 2 trumpet, viola, cello, double bass. Gordon V. Thompson 1987
  • The Gowans Are Gay. 1986. SATB, percussion. Gordon V. Thompson 1987 69
  • Basic Music. 1998. Children's Choir, Youth Choir and orchestra. Ms
  • Lady Music. 2000. SATB
  • Snow is Falling. 2002. Children's choir, flute, guitar.
  • Alternative Greeting. 2003. Flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, voices.
  • Derailed: A Sound Documentary. 2007. Double choir, percussion. Ms
  • Wendake/Huronia, 2015. Alto, narrator, chamber choir, instruments, drums. Ms

Voice

  • Five Lyrics of the T'ang Dynasty. 1947. High voice, piano. BMI Canada 1949. RCI 148/5-ACM 26 /Centrediscs CMC-2185 / 1988. Phillips 6514-157
  • Serenade. 1949. Med voice, piano. Ms. RCI 36
  • The Formal Garden of the Heart. 1950. Med voice, piano. Ms
  • Four Songs to Poems by e.e. cummings. 1950. Soprano, piano. Waterloo1975
  • Four Songs from Ben Jonson's Volpone. 1961. Baritone, guitar. BMI Canada 1967
  • A Chaucer Suite. 1962. Alto, tenor, baritone. Ms
  • Ten English Rhymes. 1963. Young voices, piano. BMI Canada 1964
  • Four Love Songs. 1969. Baritone, piano. Berandol 1970. CBC SM-111 /. 5-ACM 26
  • Five Songs. 1970. Alto, piano. Waterloo 19701. CBC SM-77/Select CC-15073/5-ACM 26
  • Six Songs to Poems by e.e. cummings. 1980–1982. Baritone, piano. Ms
  • Earlier Voices. 1984. Soprano, baritone, SATB, piano. Ms
  • Avowals. 1985. Tenor, 1 keyboard player on piano, celesta, harpsichord. Ms
  • Les Premiers hivernements. 1986. Soprano, tenor, 2 recorder, lute, viol, percussion. Ms
  • Synthetic Trios. 1987. Soprano, clarinet, piano. Ms
  • The Harp that Once thro' Tara's Halls . 1986. Mezzo soprano, piano. Gordon V. Thompson 1987
  • beep. 1990. Soprano, baritone, SATB, percussion. Ms
  • Stacey, 1997. Soprano, piano. Ms
  • A Man and His Flute, 2000; 2003 . Soprano, piano. Ms
  • Merton Duets. 2005. Soprano, mezzo soprano, violin. Ms
  • Beckett Songs. 2008. Baritone, guitar. Ms
  • Singing Synge. 2011. Baritone, piano. Ms
  • Tanu. 2013. Soprano, flute, cello. Ms
  • Four Short Songs. 2016. Medium voice, piano. Ms

Collage

  • A Message to Winnipeg. 1960. 4 speakers, violin, clarinet, piano, percussion. Ms
  • Twelve Letters to a Small Town. 1961. 4 speakers, flute, oboe, guitar, piano-harmonium. Ms
  • Wednesday's Child. 1962. 3 speakers, soprano, tenor, flute, viola, piano, percussion. Ms
  • Canada Dash – Canada Dot. 1965-67. In 3 parts. Voices, speakers, Chamber ensemble. Ms
  • The Journals of Susanna Moodie, incidental. 1972, revised 1990. 2 keyboard players, percussion. Ms
  • "In the middle of ordinary noise...": An Auditory Masque. 1992. Speaker, 2 soli, 3 instruments, tape. Ms

Selected writings

  • Beckwith, John. 'Composers in Toronto and Montreal,' U of Toronto Quarterly, v. 26, Oct 1956
  • _____. 'Young Composers' Performances in Toronto,' Canadian Music Journal, v. 2, Summer 1958
  • _____. 'Jean Papineau-Couture,' CMJ, vol 3, Winter 1959
  • _____. 'Recent Orchestral Works by Champagne, Morel and Anhalt,' CMJ, v. 4, Summer 1960
  • *____. 'Notes on a Recording Career,' Canadian Forum, v. 40, Jan 1961
  • _____. Review of A History of Music in Canada 1534–1914 by Helmut Kallmann, U of Toronto Quarterly, v. 30, Jul 1961
  • _____. 'Schoenberg Ten Years After,' Canadian Forum, v. 41, Nov 1961
  • _____. 'Stravinsky Triptych,' CMJ, vol 6, Summer 1962
  • _____. 'The Bernstein Experiment,' Canadian Forum, v. 43, Apr 1964
  • _____. 'Notes on Jonah,' Alphabet, 8 Jun 1964
  • _____. Review of British Composers in Interview, edited by R. Murray Schafer, U of Toronto Quarterly, v. 33, Jul 1964
  • _____. 'A "Complete" Schoenberg,' Canadian Forum, v. 46, Jan 1967
  • *____. 'About Canadian Music: The P.R. failure,' Musicanada, 21, Jul-Aug 1969; reprinted with postscript, AGO/RCCO Music, v. 5, Mar 1971
  • _____. 'What Every U.S. Musician Should Know About Contemporary Canadian Music,' Musicanada, 29, final issue 1970
  • _____. 'Music in Canada,' Musical Times, v.111, Dec 1970
  • *____.'Trying to Define Music,' Conservatory Bulletin, Christmas 1970
  • _____. 'Aims and Methods for a Music-Theory Program,' Canadian Association of University Schools of Music Journal, v. 1, Spring 1971
  • *____. 'Healey Willan,' Canadian Forum, v. 52, Dec 1972
  • _____.'Teaching New Music: What? How? Why?' Music Scene, 270, Mar-Apr 1973
  • _____. 'István Anhalt,' Music Scene, 281, Jan-Feb 1975
  • *_____. 'A Big Song-and-Dance,' Canadian Music Educator, v. 18, Spring 1977
  • *____. 'A Festival of Canadian Music,' Musicanada: A Presentation of Canadian Contemporary Music
  • _____. Music In Canada
  • *____ and Pincoe, Ruth, eds. Canadian Music in the 1960s and 1970s: A Chronicle
  • _____. 'Choral confessions,' Anacrusis, v. 6, Fall 1986
  • _____. 'Canadian Tunebooks and Hymnals, 1801–1939,' American Music, v. 6, Summer 1988
  • *
  • _____.'Canadiana Realizations for "Music at Sharon," 1981–90,' News from the Canadian Musical Heritage Society, v. 1, Spring 1991
  • _____. 'Letter from Canada,' Sonneck Society Bulletin, v. 17, no. 2, 1991
*Reprinted in Beckwith, Music Papers.