Prévost, (Joseph Gaston Charles) André
Prévost, (Joseph Gaston Charles) André
Prévost, (Joseph Gaston Charles) André , Canadian composer; b. Hawkesbury, Ontario, July 30, 1934. He studied harmony and counterpoint with Isabelle Delorme and Papineau-Couture and composition with Pépin (premier prix, 1960) at the Montreal Cons. After studying analysis with Messiaen at the Paris Cons., and receiving further instruction from Dutilleux at the Paris École Normale de Musique (1961), he returned to Canada (1962) and was active as a teacher. Following studies in electronic music with Michel Phillipot at the Paris ORTF (1964), he worked with Schuller, Martino, Copland, and Kodály at the Berkshire Music Center in Tanglewood (summer, 1964); then taught at the Univ. of Montreal (from 1964). In 1986 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Works
ORCH.: Poème de l’infini, symphonic poem (1960); Scherzo for Strings (1960); Fantasmes (Montreal, Nov. 22, 1963; posthumously dedicated to President John F. Kennedy); Pyknon, pièce concertante for Violin and Orch. (1966); Célébration (1966); Diallèle (Toronto, May 30, 1968); Evanescence (Ottawa, April 7, 1970); Hommage (à Beethoven) for 14 Strings (1970–71); Chorégraphie I (…Munich, September 1972…) (1972–73; Toronto, April 22, 1975; inspired by the Munich Olympics tragedy), II (E= MC2) (1976), III (1976), and IV (1978; London, Ontario, Jan. 10, 1979); Ouverture (1975); Cello Concerto (1976; Winnipeg, Dec. 6, 1979); Paraphrase for String Quartet and Orch. (Toronto, April 29, 1980); Cosmophonie (1985); Cantate pour cordes for Chamber Orch. (1987). CHAMBER : Pastorale for 2 Harps (1955); Fantasie for Cello and Piano (1956); 2 string quartets (1958; Ad pacem, 1971–72); Mobiles for Flute, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1959–60); Violin Sonata (1960–61; arr. as a ballet as Primordial, 1968); 2 cello sonatas (1962, arr. for Violin and Piano or Ondes Martenot, 1967; 1985); Triptyque for Flute, Oboe, and Piano (1962); Mouvement for Brass Quintet (1963); Ode au St. Laurent for Optional Narrator and String Quartet (1965); Suite for String Quintet (1968); Improvisation II for Cello (1976) and III for Viola (1976); Violin Sonata (1979); Clarinet Quintet (London, England, Oct. 26, 1988). KEYBOARD: Piano : 4 Préludes for 2 Pianos (1961). Organ : 5Variations sur un thème grégorien (1956); Variations en Passacaille (1984). VOCAL : Terre des hommes for 2 Narrators, 3 Choruses, and Orch. (Montreal, April 29, 1967); Psaume 148 for Chorus, Brass, and Organ (Guelph, May 1, 1971); Hiver dans l’âme for Baritone and Orch. (1978); Missa de profundis for Chorus and Organ (1973); other choruses; songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire