European-based musical genres have been created in Canada for over three hundred years. Gradually Canadian composers have developed a sense of place in their musical creations.
Canadian pianist Elaine Keillor takes the listener on a unique journey through compositions written between 1807 and 2010.
The piano pieces presented on these four CDs show how composers moved beyond just giving a Canadian-influenced title to their composition. In different ways they allowed the space of their Canadian region to seep into their approach to organizing sounds and wrestled with the great myth of Canada as North.
“Thank goodness there is someone like Keillor[…] a devoted contributor to the storehouse assembled by the Canadian Musical Heritage Society, champion of women composers, the musical traditions of First Nations and of new music.
Keillor has an unaffected, elegant playing style that neatly lays out the many, many different styles and atmospheres she has chosen to represent […] It is a harmonically satisfying, atmospheric journey that leads us into a lush thicket of sound, but ends in a sort of question, an ambiguity that suggests many more questions than answers about the image music is meant to represent.” – John Terauds, Musical Toronto
“Elaine Keillor shines in this four-CD collection of works by Canadian composers […] Each disc features works from a specific time frame with many of the works drawing on Canadian landscapes and their traditions for their artistic motivation […] This is a monumental project. The sheer number of works is astounding […] Musically the pianist is able to convey each composer’s sensibilities.” – Tiina Kiik, WholeNote
Disc 1: From 1807 to Ragtime
1. General Craig’s March by F. Glackemeyer
2. Canadian Dance by George Pfeiffer
3. Waltz for the Literary Garland by W.H. Warren
4. The Burlington Galop by J. P. Clarke
5. Favourite Toronto Air by J. P. Clarke
6. The Monklands Polka by J.-C. Brauneis, Jr.
7. Mazurka caprice by C.W. Sabatier
8. The Newfoundland Camp Gallopade by H. C. Tillmann
9. Scherzo by Romain-Octave Pelletier
10. Scintillation by Paul Damis
11. La Comète by Gustave Smith
12. Air Savoyard by Gustave Smith
13. Royal Canadian Lancers by W. B. Bayley
14. Shake Again Galop by C. Lavallée
15. Mouvement à la Pavane by Calixa Lavallée
16. Chant de voyageur by Susie F. Harrison
17. Joy and Grief by George W. Strathy
18. Modulation Sketch by George W. Strathy
19. The Aberdeen Waltzes by F. J. H. Moore
20. Happy Moments Gavotte by C. A. E. Harris
21. Marriage Bells by C. A. E. Harris
22. Cave of the Winds by R. Nathaniel Dett
23. Raggity Rag by J. -B. Lafrenière
24. The Imperial Native March by J. Nelson
25. Chantecler March & Two Step by Jeanne Delmar
26. Some Rag by Willie Eckstein
27. The “Ottawa” Rag by George E. Lynn
Disc 2: Developments to the End of WWI
1. Yvonne by Alexis Contant
2. Wiegenlied by W. O. Forsyth
3. Evening Song by W. O. Forsyth
4. Confession by W. O. Forsyth
5. In the Vale of Shadowland by W. O. Forsyth
6. Prelude by W. O. Forsyth
7. Deux Mazurkas: Makurka No. 1 by Clarence Lucas
8. Deux Mazurkas: Makurka No. 2 by Clarence Lucas
9. Praeludium con Fuga: Praeludium by Clarence Lucas
10. Praeludium con Fuga: Fuga by Clarence Lucas
11. Valse Impromptu by Clarence Lucas
12. Valse lente by Clarence Lucas
13. Lullalo, An Irish Lullaby by W. C. Barron
14. Conversazione Gavotte by J. Vézina
15. Mazurka Sentimentale by Arthur Letondal
16. Fête des roses by A. W. Hughes
17. To Daffodils by Edmund Hardy
18. Deux Pièces de genre: 1. Chanson d’été by Henri Gagnon
19. Deux Pièces de genre: 2. “Badinage” by Henri Gagnon
20. Sérénade by Léo Roy
21. Chevauchée by Rodolphe Mathieu
22. A l’Aurore by Emiliano Renaud
23. Souvenir by Emiliano Renaud
24. Valse triste by Alberto Guerrero
25. Prélude et Filigrane: Prélude by Claude Champagne
26. Prélude et Filigrane: Filigrane by Claude Champagne
27. Gavotte pompadour by Georges-Emile Tanguay
Disc 3 – New Sounds to the End of WWII
1. Trois Pièces brèves: I. Hommage à Couperin by Georges-Emile Tanguay
2. Trois Pièces brèves: II. Apaisement by Georges-Emile Tanguay
3. Trois Pièces brèves: III. Danseuses devant Aphrodite by Georges-Emile Tanguay
4. Trois Préludes: I by George M. Brewer
5. Trois Préludes: II by George M. Brewer
6. Trois Préludes: III by George M. Brewer
7. Suite canadienne: I. Rigaudon by Léo-Pol Morin
8. Suite canadienne: II. Chanson by Léo-Pol Morin
9. Suite canadienne: III. Gigue (Le vieux) by Léo-Pol Morin
10. Lydia by Henri Miro
11. Scènes mauresques by Henri Miro
12. Suite for Piano: I. In wistful mood by Leo Smith
13. Suite for Piano: II. Modulation 1 into II by Leo Smith
14. Suite for Piano: III. Modulation 2 into III by Leo Smith
15. Suite for Piano: IV. Modulation 3 into IV by Leo Smith
16. The Concertina by Leo Smith
17. Sonatina: I. Lyrically and freely by Robert Fleming
18. Sonatina: II. Quickly and with spirit by Robert Fleming
19. Sonatina No. 1: I. Allegretto semplice by Violet Archer
20. Sonatina No. 1: II. Lento pensieroso by Violet Archer
21. Sonatina No. 1: III. Tempo di valse by Violet Archer
22. Sonatina No. 1: IV. Allegretto Capriccioso by Violet Archer
23. Two Pieces: I by Glenn Gould
24. Two Pieces: II by Glenn Gould
25. Scherzino by Oskar Morawetz
Disc 4 – Canada’s Space in Sound
1. A Northern Legend: I. Tundra by Louis Applebaum
2. A Northern Legend: II. Rocks by Louis Applebaum
3. A Northern Legend: III. Huskies by Louis Applebaum
4. A Northern Legend: IV. Midnight Sun by Louis Applebaum
5. Aegean Sketches: The Valley of the Butterflies by Jean Coulthard
6. Aegean Sketches: Wine Dark Sea by Jean Coulthard
7. Aegean Sketches: Legend of the Palace of Knossos by Jean Coulthard
8. Aquarelles: 1. Fantaisie by Alain Gagnon
9. Aquarelles: 2. Rêverie by Alain Gagnon
10. Aquarelles: 3. Caprice by Alain Gagnon
11. Aquarelles: 4. Toccatine by Alain Gagnon
12. Aquarelles: 5. Cortège by Alain Gagnon
13. Aquarelles: 6. Burlesque by Alain Gagnon
14. Aquarelles: 7. Dance by Alain Gagnon
15. Cave Pools by James McDonald Gayfer
16. Etude et fantaisie by Rhené Jaque
17. Intermezzo III: Grave by Bengt Hambraeus
18. Intermezzo by Rachel Laurin
19. Schoenberg versus Gershwin by Eldon Rathburn
20. Silver and Shadow by Patrick Cardy
21. March, March!: 1. Distant Bugle, I by John Beckwith
22. March, March!: 2. Single File by John Beckwith
23. March, March!: 3. Distant Bugle, II by John Beckwith
24. March, March!: 4. Unfinished Rag by John Beckwith
25. The Jack Pine by Jocelyn Morlock
