Applebaum, Louis

Applebaum, Louis, Canadian composer, administrator, and conductor; b. Toronto, April 3, 1918; d. April 20, 2000. He studied in Toronto at the Cons, of Music and at the Univ., his principal mentors being Boris Berlin in piano and Willan, Leo Smith, and Mac-Millan in theory; he then pursued training in composition in N.Y. as a scholarship student of Harris and Wagenaar (1940–41). Returning to Canada, he served as music director of the National Film Board (1942–48), for which he composed scores for some 250 films (1942–60). He also served as music director of World Today films in N.Y. (1946–49). From 1955 to 1960 he oversaw the musical activities at the Stratford (Ontario) Festival, for which he composed much incidental music. He served as president of Group Four productions, makers of television documentaries and programs, from 1960 to 1966. From 1971 to 1980 he was executive director of the Ontario Arts Council. From 1980 to 1982 he was chairman of the Federal Cultural Policy Review Committee. He was interim artistic director of the Guelph Spring Festival in 1988–89, and also president of the Composers, Authors, and Publishers Assn. of Canada from 1988 to 1990, and its successor, the Soc. of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada, from 1990 to 1992. In 1977 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. Applebaum’s long association with films and stage productions resulted in a particularly assured command in the composing of dramatic scores.

Works

DRAMATIC: Suite of Miniature Dances, ballet (1953); Legend of the North, ballet (1957); Ride a Pink Horse, musical comedy (1959); Homage, ballet (1969); The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, ballet (1991); So You Think You’re Mozart?, musical play (1991); incidental music for over 50 plays; film scores; innumerable scores for radio and television. ORCH.: East by North (1947); Revival Meeting and Finale from Barbara Allen (1964); Dialogue with Footnotes for Big Jazz and Orch. (1984); Celebration York for Band (1985); High Spirits for Band (1986). CHAMBER: Touch Wood for Piano (1969); Essay for Flute (1973); Keep Moving for Piano (1973); 4 Dances in a Nineteenth Century Style for Brass Quintet (1987). VOCAL: Cry of the Prophet for Baritone and Piano (1951; rev. 1952); A Folio of Shakespearean Songs for Medium Voice and Piano (1954–87); Inunit, 5 episodes for Voice and Orch. (1977); Of Love and High Times for Soprano, Chorus, Flute, Horn, and Percussion (1981); The Harper of the Stones for Narrator and Chamber Ensemble (1987). OTHER: Many fanfares and ceremonial pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire