Harry Somers

Harry Somers , OC, (September 11th 1925 - March 9th 1999) was one of the large type-setters Canadian S of its time.

Born in a family from the middle-class of Toronto, it shows its musical talents only at the end of adolescence, where it starts to compose without formal training nor school concepts of composition.

It is influenced starting from 1942 by John Weinzweig, type-setter of avant-garde in a musical community always based in the style of the 19th century. The irony of the training wanted nevertheless that it is Weinsweig which learned with its disciple the traditional harmonies. Schoenberg had proceeded in the same way with its own pupils, while at the same time he encouraged them to explore the Dodécaphonisme.

After the Second world war, Somers continues to work with Weinsweig, this collabortion culminating with a continuation for string orchestra entitled North Country (1948). It spends then some time to Paris, influenced by Pierre Boulez and Olivier Messiaen (although officially studied at most preserving Darius Milhaud).

Of return to Toronto in 1950, Somers works as copyist before being able, as of the Années 1960, to support its family by the only incomes of its compositions. It gives up the concept of tonality then (among works of this time one counts Five Concepts for Orchestra (1961) and Twelve Miniatures (1963)), even if Five Songs off the Newfoundland Outports (1969) the watch clearly attached to the traditional choral society: these five arrangements of traditional songs of Newfoundland are rather popular besides among the chorus S of the world. One of its more important work, Louis Riel , date besides also of this time; opera written for the Canadian Centenary of 1967, it evokes discussed the leader of the Métis carried out in 1885.

Its eclectic and very personal approach of the various styles of the 20th century results in a varied work, always with the limit in élitiste modernity and popular tastes. Founding member of the association of the Canadian type-setters, it is made member of the Ordre of Canada in 1971.

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