Violet Archer - Canadian National
Treasure
Violet
Balestreri Archer was one of Canada’s most important
and distinguished composers of the
twentieth-century, serving as a driving force in shaping music in Canada
during the second half of the century. However,
her influence on contemporary musical styles was not
limited to Canada; from her years of teaching in the United States to her
concert tours in Europe, Archer’s influence continues to be seen
and felt throughout the western musical world. Her importance is actually
three-fold: as a composer, educator, and staunch supporter for the preservation
of authentic Canadian music. She was a national treasure,
and in the words of David Parsons, composer and former
Ontario Regional Director of the Canadian Music Centre, she can be considered to
be one of the "Founding Mothers" of contemporary Canadian music. Dr.
Archer passed away on February 22, 2000, leaving a legacy of music that we are
only now discovering in the United States.
For more information on music in Canada, visit the
Canadian Music Centre Website
For more information on Dr. Archer visit her
CMC Homepage
To learn more about Liana Valente's Scholarly Research,
contact Liana via e-mail at:
Liana@omegatower.com
A Look at Selected Contemporary Settings
of Emily Dickinson Poetry by
Aaron Copland, Vincent Persichetti and John Duke
The poems of Emily Dickinson have long been the inspiration for some of
American’s most important contemporary composers. A large part of the appeal of
Dickinson’s poetry lies in her ability to craft vivid images and convey deeply
personal emotions and insights using a very limited number of words. By
unexpectedly changing poetic meters and utilizing unusual textual structures,
her poetry has acted as a perfect medium for contemporary composers to express
their own ideas and philosophies concerning life, death, and all aspects of the
human condition. Coupled with the words of a craft-master such as Dickinson, the
most sublime glimpses into the human spirit are possible through the music of
such composers as Aaron Copland, Vincent Persichetti, and John Duke.
A great deal has been written about Aaron Copland’s The Twelve Songs of
Emily Dickinson. His settings stand as a monument of twentieth
century American art songs. Vincent Persichetti published his Emily Dickinson
Songs, op. 77, just eight years after Copland. Probably the least known
setting is Six Poems by Emily Dickinson by John Duke. Surprisingly, very
little has been written about John Duke or his music. However, his Dickinson
settings can rightfully stand beside the better known Copland and Persichetti
songs, giving to audiences yet another glimpse into the poetry of one of our
most elusive writers.
The purpose of this paper is to introduce singers to the beauty of these
settings of the New England Mystic’s elegant poetry by analyzing one song
from each of the three song cycles by these three monumental American composers.
Musical examples are included to aid in understanding the musical and poetic
analysis. It is hoped that this brief introduction will peak the interests of
singers and teachers alike to these contemporary art songs.
Be A
Champion of Modern Music
Originally presented at the
Sigma Alpha Iota National Convention
held in Orlando, Florida, this lecture recital highlights
the song and operatic literature of contemporary North American
composers with whom I have worked. These composers include Dr. Walter S.
Hartley, Dr. H. Owen Reed, Dr. Violet Balestreri Archer, Professor John Valerio,
and Ms. Dorothy J. Ross.
To learn more about Dr. Valente's Scholarly Research,
contact her via e-mail at:
Liana@omegatower.com
