Alfred La Liberté
Encyclopedia
Alfred La Liberté was a Canadian composer
, pianist
, writer on music, and music educator. He was a disciple and close personal friend of Alexander Scriabin
. He was also an admirer of Marcel Dupré
and Nikolai Medtner
. Dupré notably dedicated his Variations, Opus 22 for piano to him and Medtner dedicated his Sonata minacciosa, Opus 53 no. 2 and his song The Captive, Opus 52 no. 7 to La Liberté. Most of his own compositions remain unfinished. He also contributed articles to Le Passe-Temps, including one on Scriabin in May 1946.
, La Liberté was named after the Canadian sculptor of the same name
. He began his piano studies as a teenager with a Miss Malsberg. His later piano teachers included J.-B. Denys, Dominique Ducharme
, Romain-Octave Pelletier I
, and Émiliano Renaud. In 1902 he entered the Stern Conservatory
in Berlin
where he studied with such teachers as Ernst Baeker (harmony), Paul Lutzenko (piano), and Wilhelm Klatte (counterpoint and composition) through 1906. The expenses of his education in Berlin were paid largely through grants obtained from the German government after winning a series of piano competitions. He notably played in concert for Wilhelm II at both the imperial court of Berlin and the ducal court of Cobourg.
In 1906 La Liberté returned to Canada and began teaching at the Canadian Conservatory of Music
in Ottawa in the autumn of 1906. He gave a highly lauded recital at the Monument national in Montreal on 22 November 1906. An admirer of the works of Alexander Scriabin
, he began a correspondence with the composer in February 1907 while Scriabin was staying in New York City. Scriabin invited La Liberté to visit him in New York, and La Liberté came to that city for a visit in the summer of 1907. Scriabin convinced La Liberté to return to Berlin, and the composer soon began further studies in that city with Teresa Carreño
. He then went to Brussels where he studied composition under Scriabin, becoming one his close disciples. He gave recital tours in Germany and England from 1908–1910, notably appearing in concert with Emma Albani
in London.
La Liberté returned to Montreal in 1911 where he opened a private teaching studio. He also was active in that city as a performer where he was an exponent of Scriabin's works. In 1913 he moved to New York City where he taught as a guest lecturer at several institutions and ran a piano studio. Financial problems related to World War I
put an end to his career in America and he once again returned to teaching privately in Montreal. From 1926-1935 he worked as a piano instructor for the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
. He then taught on the faculty of the Conservatoire national de musique
for several years. Among his notable pupils were Hélène Baillargeon
, Morris Davis
, Gérald Desmarais, Hector Gratton
, Djane Lavoie-Herz, Antonio Létourneau, Alfred Mignault
, Marie-Thérèse Paquin
, and Wilfrid Pelletier
.
Liberté died in Montreal in 1952 at the age of 70. He was made an associate of the Canadian Music Centre
posthumously. At the time of his death he was in possession of a number of Scriabin's original manuscripts, including Poem of Ecstasy and Sonata No. 5, and his wife donated them to the Scriabin museum in Moscow in 1972.
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...
, 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:...
, writer on music, and music educator. He was a disciple and close personal friend of Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist who initially developed a lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin. Quite independent of the innovations of Arnold Schoenberg, Scriabin developed an increasingly atonal musical system,...
. He was also an admirer of Marcel Dupré
Marcel Dupré
Marcel Dupré , was a French organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.-Biography:Marcel Dupré was born in Rouen . Born into a musical family, he was a child prodigy. His father Albert Dupré was organist in Rouen and a friend of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, who built an organ in the family house when...
and Nikolai Medtner
Nikolai Medtner
Nikolai Karlovich Medtner was a Russian composer and pianist.A younger contemporary of Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexander Scriabin, he wrote a substantial number of compositions, all of which include the piano...
. Dupré notably dedicated his Variations, Opus 22 for piano to him and Medtner dedicated his Sonata minacciosa, Opus 53 no. 2 and his song The Captive, Opus 52 no. 7 to La Liberté. Most of his own compositions remain unfinished. He also contributed articles to Le Passe-Temps, including one on Scriabin in May 1946.
Life and career
Born in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, La Liberté was named after the Canadian sculptor of the same name
Alfred Laliberté
Alfred Laliberté was a Canadian sculptor and painter based in Quebec. His output includes more than 900 sculptures in bronze, marble, wood, and plaster. Many of his sculptures depict national figures and events in Canada and France like Louis Hebert, François-Xavier-Antoine Labelle, Adam Dollard...
. He began his piano studies as a teenager with a Miss Malsberg. His later piano teachers included J.-B. Denys, Dominique Ducharme
Dominique Ducharme (musician)
Dominique Ducharme was a Canadian pianist, organist, and music educator. He studied with Paul Letondal and Charles Wugk Sabatier in Canada before studying for 5 years at the Conservatoire de Paris in France with Antoine Marmontel and François Bazin...
, Romain-Octave Pelletier I
Romain-Octave Pelletier I
Romain-Octave Pelletier I was a Canadian organist, pianist, composer, writer on music, and music educator.-Early life and career:...
, and Émiliano Renaud. In 1902 he entered the Stern Conservatory
Stern conservatory
The Stern Conservatory was a private music school in Berlin with many notable tutors and alumni.-History:It was originally founded in 1850 as the Berliner Musikschule by Julius Stern, Theodor Kullak and Adolf Bernhard Marx. Kullak withdrew from the conservatory in 1855 in order to create a new...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
where he studied with such teachers as Ernst Baeker (harmony), Paul Lutzenko (piano), and Wilhelm Klatte (counterpoint and composition) through 1906. The expenses of his education in Berlin were paid largely through grants obtained from the German government after winning a series of piano competitions. He notably played in concert for Wilhelm II at both the imperial court of Berlin and the ducal court of Cobourg.
In 1906 La Liberté returned to Canada and began teaching at the Canadian Conservatory of Music
Canadian Conservatory of Music
The Canadian Conservatory of Music was a music conservatory in Ottawa, Canada that was actively providing higher education in music during the first half of the 20th century. Founded by Harry Puddicombe in 1902, the school was located on Bay Street...
in Ottawa in the autumn of 1906. He gave a highly lauded recital at the Monument national in Montreal on 22 November 1906. An admirer of the works of Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist who initially developed a lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin. Quite independent of the innovations of Arnold Schoenberg, Scriabin developed an increasingly atonal musical system,...
, he began a correspondence with the composer in February 1907 while Scriabin was staying in New York City. Scriabin invited La Liberté to visit him in New York, and La Liberté came to that city for a visit in the summer of 1907. Scriabin convinced La Liberté to return to Berlin, and the composer soon began further studies in that city with Teresa Carreño
Teresa Carreño
María Teresa Carreño García de Sena was a Venezuelan pianist, singer, composer, and conductor.Born into a musical family, she was at first taught by her father, then by Mathias, Louis Moreau Gottschalk and Anton Rubinstein and her talent was recognized at an early age...
. He then went to Brussels where he studied composition under Scriabin, becoming one his close disciples. He gave recital tours in Germany and England from 1908–1910, notably appearing in concert with 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...
in London.
La Liberté returned to Montreal in 1911 where he opened a private teaching studio. He also was active in that city as a performer where he was an exponent of Scriabin's works. In 1913 he moved to New York City where he taught as a guest lecturer at several institutions and ran a piano studio. Financial problems related to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
put an end to his career in America and he once again returned to teaching privately in Montreal. From 1926-1935 he worked as a piano instructor for the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary is a teaching order founded at Longueuil, Québec, Canada in 1843 by Blessed Mother Marie-Rose for the Christian education of young girls.Their motto is: "Jésus et Marie, Ma Force et Ma Gloire" .Since 1843, the...
. He then taught on the faculty of 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...
for several years. Among his notable pupils were Hélène Baillargeon
Hélène Baillargeon
Hélène Baillargeon, CM was a Quebec singer, actor and folklorist probably best known as the host of the CBC television show Chez Hélène from 1959 to 1973....
, Morris Davis
Morris Davis (composer)
Morris Cecil Davis was a Canadian composer, arranger, and conductor. He was sometimes referred to as "Rusty Davis". A largely self-taught composer and orchestrater, he wrote more than 200 jingles for Canadian radio and television...
, Gérald Desmarais, Hector Gratton
Hector Gratton
Joseph Thomas Hector Gratton was a Canadian composer, arranger, conductor, pianist, and music educator. As a composer his music is written in an essentially folkloric and popular style which avoids harmonic sophistication. His compositional output includes several orchestral works, chamber workss,...
, Djane Lavoie-Herz, Antonio Létourneau, Alfred Mignault
Alfred Mignault
Alfred Joseph Édouard Mignault was a Canadian organist, composer, and music educator. A largely self-taught composer, his compositional output includes both vocal and instrumental works such as songs, works for solo piano, choral works, and works for orchestra. Some his compositions were published...
, Marie-Thérèse Paquin
Marie-Thérèse Paquin
Marie-Thérèse Paquin was born July 4, 1905 in Montreal, Quebec, and died in the same city on May 9, 1997. She was a concert pianist and piano professor.- Bibliography :...
, 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...
.
Liberté died in Montreal in 1952 at the age of 70. He was made an associate of 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....
posthumously. At the time of his death he was in possession of a number of Scriabin's original manuscripts, including Poem of Ecstasy and Sonata No. 5, and his wife donated them to the Scriabin museum in Moscow in 1972.