Jean Coulthard (1908 -2000)

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2016

French Impressionism Makes Its Mark

20160111

Canadian composer Jean Coulthard (1908-2000) was a woman who determinedly followed her own musical path, creating an impressive body of work which, though attracting international recognition during her lifetime, is rarely heard today outside her native country.

Coulthard produced around 350 works in her very long career, for many years fitting composing around her job as a university lecturer and the responsibilities of family life. She was fortunate in having a musical mother whose passion for the French Impressionist composers rubbed off on her daughter, as is is clearly evident in her earlier works. Donald Macleod introduces a selection of works in which echoes of that distinctive soundworld can be heard, including a lament inspired by the chorale theme from a Bach cantata, and a piano concerto in the grand tradition of Beethoven and Schumann.

The Bird of Dawning Singeth All Night Long

Campbell Trowsdale, violin

CBC Vancouver Orchestra

Mario Bernardi, Conductor

Threnody

R退a Beaumont, piano

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra

Robert Silverman, piano

Dwight Bennet, Conductor

Four Irish Songs (orchestrated by Michael Conway Baker)

Linda Maguire, mezzo soprano

Donald Macleod explores Coulthard's earlier works.

2016

Expanding Horizons

20160112

The outbreak of World War II brought European artists to the USA and Canada and gave Coulthard the opportunity to study with a number of established composers, including Arthur Benjamin. He encouraged her to write for orchestra and incorporated her music into his concert series. Coulthard spent much of the war in New York where she benefitted from lessons with the Dutch composer Bernard Wagenaar, who helped her consolidate a new-found confidence in her writing. Donald Macleod introduces a sonata in which that new sense of certainty shines through, plus an early orchestral work with evocations of happy holidays, a choral song which reflects the spirit of renewal in post-war Canada, and music to celebrate the patron saint of music.

Threnody

University of Alberta Madrigal Singers

Excursion Ballet Suite

Symphony Nova Scotia

Georg Tintner, Conductor

Music to St. Cecilia for organ and strings

Patrick Wedd, organ

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Mario Bernardi, Conductor

Cello Sonata

Joan Harrison, cello

Elaine Keillor, piano

Quebec in May

Elmer Iseler Singers

CBC Vancouver Orchestra

Elmer Iseler, Conductor.

Donald Macleod on how WWII gave Coulthard the opportunity to improve her writing skills.

2016

Challenges And Opportunities

20160113

In the early 1950s Coulthard's role as lecturer in music theory at the University of British Columbia came under threat, and she was asked to leave. She managed to retain her position but was thankful to be offered a scholarship to study in Paris, where she took classes with Nadia Boulanger. Coulthard resolutely continued to develop her own brand of musical expression, ignoring the critics who berated her for refusing to embrace current trends. Donald Macleod explores works from this period when her style began to change including two very different sets of variations and a setting of poems by Canadian poets in honour of the centenary of the founding of British Columbia.

Villanelle (Cello Sonata)

Ofra Harnoy, cello

Michael Dussek, piano

Music on a Quiet Song

Timothy Hutchins, flute

CBC Vancouver Orchestra

Mario Bernardi, Conductor

Variations on B.A.C.H.

John Ogdon, piano

Les Chansons du Coeur

Caroline Schiller, soprano

Kristina Szutor, piano

Music to St. Cecilia

Foundation Philharmonic Orchestra

David Snell, Conductor

Spring Rhapsody

Maureen Forrester, contralto

John Newmark, piano.

Donald Macleod explores Coulthard's year studying in Paris in the 1950s.

2016

Farewell To Teaching

20160114

Though she was out of step with musical fashions in Canada, Coulthard's reputation kept on growing. Regular broadcasts across the USA and parts of Europe attracted an international audience to her music. When she celebrated her 65th birthday in 1973, she was forced to retire from her teaching post at the University of British Columbia. But retirement gave her more time to compose and she got involved in publishing educational material for teachers. Donald Macleod introduces a selection of pieces from the years surrounding her retirement including a set of piano pieces inspired by reminiscences of an Aegean cruise, and a work for two quartets written as a farewell to her university life.

Young and Golden Haired (Six Mediaeval Love Songs)

Jon Vickers, tenor

Richard Woitach, piano

Aegean Sketches

Elaine Keillor, piano

Sonata Rhapsody for viola and piano (1st movement)

Robert Verebes, viola

Dale Bartlett, piano

Twelve Essays on a Cantabile Theme

Purcell String Quartet

University of Alberta String Quartet.

Donald Macleod introduces works from the years surrounding Coulthard's retirement.

2016

05 LAST

Recognition

20160115

In the final decades of her life, Coulthard devoted her time to composition, and continued to work until her death in 2000 at the age of 92. She remained an active traveller, with more visits to the UK where a performance of her 2nd String Quartet at the Cheltenham Music Festival was received with great acclaim. Donald Macleod introduces the third movement from the quartet plus an orchestral piece based on folksongs from across Canada, two pieces with nature themes, and one of her final piano pieces whose title, she says, 'describes how the heavenly bodies provoke our imagination'.

Lyric Sonatina for Flute and Piano (3rd movement)

Mark Takeshi McGregor, flute

Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa, piano

Canada Mosaic (Introduction and Three Folksongs)

CBC Vancouver Orchestra

Mario Bernardi, Conductor

String Quartet No.2 (3rd movement)

Thomas Rolston, violin

Lawrence Fisher, violin

Michael Bowie, viola

Claude Kenneson, cello

Image Astrale

Charles Foreman, piano

The Secret Garden (Gardens)

Sherman Friedland, clarinet

Dale Bartlett, piano

Of Fields and Forests

Rita Costanzi, harp

The Bird of Dawning Singeth All Night Long

Campbell Trowsdale, violin

Donald Macleod introduces music from the final decades of Coulthard's life.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2016	01	French Impressionism Makes Its Mark	20160111	Canadian composer Jean Coulthard (1908-2000) was a woman who determinedly followed her own musical path, creating an impressive body of work which, though attracting international recognition during her lifetime, is rarely heard today outside her native country. Coulthard produced around 350 works in her very long career, for many years fitting composing around her job as a university lecturer and the responsibilities of family life. She was fortunate in having a musical mother whose passion for the French Impressionist composers rubbed off on her daughter, as is is clearly evident in her earlier works. Donald Macleod introduces a selection of works in which echoes of that distinctive soundworld can be heard, including a lament inspired by the chorale theme from a Bach cantata, and a piano concerto in the grand tradition of Beethoven and Schumann. The Bird of Dawning Singeth All Night Long Campbell Trowsdale, violin CBC Vancouver Orchestra Mario Bernardi, Conductor Threnody R退a Beaumont, piano Concerto for Piano and Orchestra Robert Silverman, piano Dwight Bennet, Conductor Four Irish Songs (orchestrated by Michael Conway Baker) Linda Maguire, mezzo soprano Donald Macleod explores Coulthard's earlier works.
2016	02	Expanding Horizons	20160112	The outbreak of World War II brought European artists to the USA and Canada and gave Coulthard the opportunity to study with a number of established composers, including Arthur Benjamin. He encouraged her to write for orchestra and incorporated her music into his concert series. Coulthard spent much of the war in New York where she benefitted from lessons with the Dutch composer Bernard Wagenaar, who helped her consolidate a new-found confidence in her writing. Donald Macleod introduces a sonata in which that new sense of certainty shines through, plus an early orchestral work with evocations of happy holidays, a choral song which reflects the spirit of renewal in post-war Canada, and music to celebrate the patron saint of music. Threnody University of Alberta Madrigal Singers Excursion Ballet Suite Symphony Nova Scotia Georg Tintner, Conductor Music to St. Cecilia for organ and strings Patrick Wedd, organ Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Mario Bernardi, Conductor Cello Sonata Joan Harrison, cello Elaine Keillor, piano Quebec in May Elmer Iseler Singers CBC Vancouver Orchestra Elmer Iseler, Conductor. Donald Macleod on how WWII gave Coulthard the opportunity to improve her writing skills.
2016	03	Challenges And Opportunities	20160113	In the early 1950s Coulthard's role as lecturer in music theory at the University of British Columbia came under threat, and she was asked to leave. She managed to retain her position but was thankful to be offered a scholarship to study in Paris, where she took classes with Nadia Boulanger. Coulthard resolutely continued to develop her own brand of musical expression, ignoring the critics who berated her for refusing to embrace current trends. Donald Macleod explores works from this period when her style began to change including two very different sets of variations and a setting of poems by Canadian poets in honour of the centenary of the founding of British Columbia. Villanelle (Cello Sonata) Ofra Harnoy, cello Michael Dussek, piano Music on a Quiet Song Timothy Hutchins, flute CBC Vancouver Orchestra Mario Bernardi, Conductor Variations on B.A.C.H. John Ogdon, piano Les Chansons du Coeur Caroline Schiller, soprano Kristina Szutor, piano Music to St. Cecilia Foundation Philharmonic Orchestra David Snell, Conductor Spring Rhapsody Maureen Forrester, contralto John Newmark, piano. Donald Macleod explores Coulthard's year studying in Paris in the 1950s.
2016	04	Farewell To Teaching	20160114	Though she was out of step with musical fashions in Canada, Coulthard's reputation kept on growing. Regular broadcasts across the USA and parts of Europe attracted an international audience to her music. When she celebrated her 65th birthday in 1973, she was forced to retire from her teaching post at the University of British Columbia. But retirement gave her more time to compose and she got involved in publishing educational material for teachers. Donald Macleod introduces a selection of pieces from the years surrounding her retirement including a set of piano pieces inspired by reminiscences of an Aegean cruise, and a work for two quartets written as a farewell to her university life. Young and Golden Haired (Six Mediaeval Love Songs) Jon Vickers, tenor Richard Woitach, piano Aegean Sketches Elaine Keillor, piano Sonata Rhapsody for viola and piano (1st movement) Robert Verebes, viola Dale Bartlett, piano Twelve Essays on a Cantabile Theme Purcell String Quartet University of Alberta String Quartet. Donald Macleod introduces works from the years surrounding Coulthard's retirement.
2016	05 LAST	Recognition	20160115	In the final decades of her life, Coulthard devoted her time to composition, and continued to work until her death in 2000 at the age of 92. She remained an active traveller, with more visits to the UK where a performance of her 2nd String Quartet at the Cheltenham Music Festival was received with great acclaim. Donald Macleod introduces the third movement from the quartet plus an orchestral piece based on folksongs from across Canada, two pieces with nature themes, and one of her final piano pieces whose title, she says, 'describes how the heavenly bodies provoke our imagination'. Lyric Sonatina for Flute and Piano (3rd movement) Mark Takeshi McGregor, flute Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa, piano Canada Mosaic (Introduction and Three Folksongs) CBC Vancouver Orchestra Mario Bernardi, Conductor String Quartet No.2 (3rd movement) Thomas Rolston, violin Lawrence Fisher, violin Michael Bowie, viola Claude Kenneson, cello Image Astrale Charles Foreman, piano The Secret Garden (Gardens) Sherman Friedland, clarinet Dale Bartlett, piano Of Fields and Forests Rita Costanzi, harp The Bird of Dawning Singeth All Night Long Campbell Trowsdale, violin Donald Macleod introduces music from the final decades of Coulthard's life.