141:. Trained as a pianist, he became one of the first Canadians to compose large-scale choral and orchestral works, in spite of the difficulty of finding suitable teachers of musical composition. His younger years were spent mostly in teaching, family, and work as a church organist, and many of his compositions were written later in life.
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325:, and several pieces for solo piano and solo organ. His works were published in Paris by Hamelle, Haussman, and L. Grus and in Montreal by Archambault, Beauchemin, Joseph-Émile Bélair, A.J. Boucher, L. Cardinal, Édition Belgo-Canadienne, and J.-G. Yon and in Le Passe-Temps.
614:.: Brochure prepared for the exhibition, of the same title, at the National Library of Canada, prepared by the Library's Music Division, presented from 14 Feb. to 15 May 1979; text, printed tĂŞte-bĂŞche, in English and in French.
161:. His younger siblings, Marie and Joseph-Albert, also became musicians. All three children had their initial musical lessons from their mother. At the age of 11, Contant became a pupil of organist and pianist
169:, who had just returned from Paris. Contant himself wanted to pursue studies in Europe, but his father forbade him to go in fear that European society might be detrimental to Alexis's religious faith.
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states that, "Contant was a pioneer whose vision was on a large scale, and although the results of his efforts do not equal his ambitions, he displays a sincerity and honesty worthy of admiration."
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Contant's compositional output was minimal before 1900. As his children grew older, he was able to devote more time to composition and therefore his later life was his most productive.
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In 1885 Contant took a post as organist at St-Jean-Baptiste Church in
Montreal, a position he held until his death more than thirty years later. From 1900 to 1918 he taught at
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In 1914 he suffered a paralytic stroke which severely limited his mobility. This virtually ended his activity as a composer. After his death in 1918, he was entombed at the
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Contant's compositional output includes several symphonic works and works for chorus and orchestra, works for chorus with organ accompaniment, a small body of
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228:, but the two did not get along well and he soon left. He pursued studies in composition on his own by analyzing the scores of the works by composers
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217:. During the trip, Lavallée became ill and Contant was asked to substitute for his teacher in several concerts, which gave him attacks of severe
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338:(1875), a 'fantaisie-nocturne' for piano. His third mass was premiered in February 1903 at the Monument national in a performance conducted by
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221:. These attacks led him to decide to abandon a performance career in favor of composition, teaching, and the organ for church work.
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in 1880–1881. In 1883 he traveled with Lavallée to Boston where he was able to pursue intense studies with his teacher in
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is the most often performed of his major works. After a stroke in 1914 he composed only one more song,
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who was involved in a number of community ensembles and his mother was a piano and voice student of
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and two years later gave his first public recital. At the age of 17 he became a student of
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Upon returning to
Montreal in June 1883, Contant became a pupil of organist and composer
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Répertoire des personnages inhumés au cimetière ayant marqué l'histoire de notre société
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291:. His daughter Fleurette was a concert singer and music teacher and his grandson
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One of
Contant's first pieces to be widely played in both Canada and Europe was
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Anthems and
Minstrel Shows: The Life and Times of Calixa Lavallée, 1842-1891
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263:. He also ran a private studio in his home. Among his notable pupils were
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from 1938 to 1979. His other daughter, Aline, was married to the painter
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Contant spent his late teenage years and early twenties working as an
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concerts and recitals. He was particularly moved by a concert of
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written by a
Canadian composer. He wrote a second oratorio,
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571:. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 584–.
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List of music students by teacher: C to F#Alexis
Contant
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Alexis
Contant: the Composer and His Milieu, 1858-1918
554:(in French). Montreal: Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery.
153:, the son of two amateur musicians. His father was a
201:. While there he also had the opportunity to attend
530:. McGill-Queen's University Press. pp. 161–.
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387:Kenneth G. Pryke; Walter C. Soderlund (2003).
181:for a variety of artists, including violinist
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122:(12 November 1858 – 28 November 1918) was a
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444:Music Papers: Articles and Talks, 1961-1994
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393:. Canadian Scholars' Press. pp. 460–.
248:among others. He joined the faculty at the
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350:in November 1905; it was one of the first
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723:Burials at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery
622:International Music Score Library Project
598:Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
417:The Cambridge Companion to Choral Music
259:and from 1905 to 1917 he taught at the
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474:. Courier Corporation. pp. 387–.
607:. Ottawa: National Library of Canada,
713:20th-century Canadian male musicians
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205:for the first time and went to many
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261:Conservatoire national de musique
185:. He took a post teaching at the
688:Canadian male classical pianists
673:20th-century classical composers
658:19th-century classical composers
568:Dictionary of Canadian Biography
471:Five Centuries of Keyboard Music
360:Trio for violin, cello and piano
663:19th-century classical pianists
634:Canadian Sheet Music Collection
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668:20th-century Canadian pianists
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308:Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery
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16:Canadian composer and musician
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618:Free scores by Alexis Contant
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252:, teaching there until 1890.
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678:Canadian classical composers
120:Joseph Pierre Alexis Contant
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603:Willis, Stephen Charles.
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447:. Dundurn. pp. 52–.
414:André de Quadros (2012).
328:The Canadian Encyclopedia
295:worked as a producer for
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628:Scores by Alexis Contant
342:. Also premiered at the
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468:John Gillespie (2013).
187:Collège de L'Assomption
441:John Beckwith (1997).
632:University of Toronto
257:Mont-St-Louis College
149:Contant was born in
250:Collège de Montréal
390:Profiles of Canada
183:Frantz Jehin-Prume
596:Biography at the
578:978-0-8020-3998-9
537:978-0-7735-4555-7
481:978-0-486-31879-0
454:978-0-919614-72-7
427:978-1-107-49339-1
400:978-1-55130-226-3
344:Monument-National
336:La Lyre enchantée
293:Jean-Yves Contant
285:Wilfrid Pelletier
226:Guillaume Couture
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63:(1918-11-28)
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653:1918 deaths
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179:accompanist
159:Emma Albani
98:Occupations
88:Nationality
51:Canada East
642:Categories
374:References
207:orchestral
145:Early life
68:Montreal,
352:oratorios
297:CBC Radio
155:violinist
346:was his
242:Massenet
151:Montreal
131:organist
127:composer
124:Canadian
110:educator
107:musician
104:composer
92:Canadian
72:, Canada
47:Montreal
624:(IMSLP)
620:at the
287:. See:
195:harmony
135:pianist
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246:Franck
244:, and
238:Wagner
234:Mozart
203:operas
197:, and
173:Career
137:, and
70:Quebec
573:ISBN
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476:ISBN
449:ISBN
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348:CaĂŻn
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230:Bach
58:Died
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