Songs 2 to French Texts

Desmond Maley is a librarian at the J.W. Tate Library, Laurentian
University.

Lucien Poirier, Professor at the School of Music, Université Laval, has compiled the songs of French Canada in this seventh volume of the Canadian Musical Heritage Society’s series. More than 25 composers are represented in the anthology, with most of the songs dating from the latter half of the 19th century through to 1918. The songs cover a wide variety of uses and purposes, ranging from patriotism to the concert hall.

The many patriotic songs and national hymns included in this collection testify to the awakening nationalist spirit in French Canada during this time. Many of them were originally published in newspapers and journals for occasions such as St Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24), the national day of French Canadians. The most famous, of course, is Calixa Lavallée’s “O Canada.” First published in 1880, it rapidly gained acceptance as the country’s national anthem. One is struck by the vigour and momentum of the piano accompaniment’s bass line in the original version, which is a feature conspicuously lacking from any contemporary arrangements.

Over 50 per cent of the anthology is composed of lyrical songs. The dominant figures in this genre are Ernest Lavigne, Calixa Lavallée, Guillaume Couture, and Alexis Contant. Much of the music is imitative of the French art song, though it does not always incorporate the art song’s most advanced features. Nevertheless, the craftsmanship apparent especially in Contant’s work is impressive.

Professor Poirier deserves praise for the well-written introduction and the scrupulous attention paid to the critical notes and bibliography. He has brought together a wealth of material which will be of interest both to the amateur and the professional. This volume forms a worthy companion to the other volumes in the series.