Harry Somers (1925–1999) was probably the most respected composer in Toronto during his generation. The serialist John Weinzweig found him composing, self-taught, as a teenager, and encouraged him to train vigorously in both traditional harmony and in avant-garde twelve-tone techniques. He ended up training under the fairly conservative French composer, Darius Milhaud. In the end, he settled on an eclectic style. Up until now, all I’ve listened to closely was his justly popular Five Songs from Newfoundland Outports. But today, I listened to a collection of his songs, both secular and sacred, by the Elmer Isler Singers. I was surprised at their combination of sassy humour — “Spotted Snakes” is the best example of that — and lyrical beauty. The “Three Songs of New France” are really fine, quite as good as the famed Newfoundland set. The sacred pieces combine conventional reverence with some unconventional twists. I particularly like “God The Master of This Scene” and “Bless’d Is the Garden of the Lord”. There’s a touch of Messiaen in these, but in a clean-cut, wholesome Toronto boy way. Canadian composers, even when they see themselves as bad boys, tend to be polite and well-scrubbed behind the ears. It’s our kismet.
0 Comments.