Healey Willan

Healey Willan

James Healey Willan (born October 12, 1880 in Balham , † February 16, 1968 in Toronto ) was a Canadian composer, choir conductor, organist and music teacher.

Willan attended St Savior's Choir School in Eastbourne, where he had lessons in piano and organ, harmony and counterpoint and soon became a choirboy and conductor and school librarian. After graduating from school in 1895, he took organ lessons from William Stevenson Hoyte , the organist of London's All Saints Church , and piano lessons from Evlyn Howard-Jones . Until 1913 he worked as an organist at various churches and at the St Cecilia Society (1895-1900) and conductor at the Wanstead Choral Society (1904-06) and the Thalian Operatic Society (1916).

In 1913 Willan emigrated to Canada to succeed Humfrey Anger as head of the music theory department at the Toronto Conservatory of Music . At the same time he took over a position as cantor at St Paul's Anglican Church . In 1914 he became a lecturer at the University of Toronto , whose Hart House Theater he directed from 1919 to 1925. From 1920 until his dismissal in 1936 he was Vice-Principal of the TCM. In 1921 he took over the position of organist and choirmaster at the Anglican St Mary Magdalene Church , which he held until his death.

For fifty years Willan was a member of the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto , of which he was president in 1923. Twice (1922-23 and 1933-35) he headed the Royal Canadian College of Organists . From 1932 to 1964 he was organist at the University of Toronto , where he proved himself to be an outstanding concert organist. From 1933 to 1939 he directed the Tudor Singers , a choir for Renaissance music.

From 1937 to 1950 Willan taught counterpoint and composition at the University of Toronto, in addition he gave guest lectures at the University of Michigan (1937-38) and at the University of California at Los Angeles (1949). In 1943 he became a board member of the British Organ Restoration Fund , the aim of which was to restore the organ in Coventry Cathedral . In 1950 he became director of the Gregorian Association of Toronto . The Canadian League of Composers accepted him as an honorary member in 1955. In 1967 he was named Companion of the Order of Canada . For his 100th birthday the Canadian Post issued a postage stamp with his portrait. Alongside Emma Albani , he was the first Canadian musician to be honored in this way.

Willan composed over 850 works, including operas, symphonic works and chamber music, numerous church music, organ and choral works. His numerous students included the musicians Ewart Bartley , Howard Brown , Muriel Gidley , Ida Krehm , Glenn Kruspe , Horace Lapp , Scott Malcolm , George Maybee , Adelmo Melecci , Stanley Osborne , David Ouchterlony , Charles Peaker , John Ronan , Margaret Sargent , Frederick C. Silvester , Ernest White and Michael Winesanker and the composers Gerald Bales , FRC Clarke , Margaret Drynan , Robert Fleming , Patricia Blomfield Holt , Walter MacNutt , Godfrey Ridout , Louis Applebaum , John Beckwith , Kelsey Jones , William McCauley , Kenneth Peacock , Eldon Rathburn and John Weinzweig . Willan was married to the pianist and music teacher Gladys Willan . His daughter Mary Willan Mason was a founding member of the Junior Vogt Society and director of the Ontario Choral Federation from 1975 to 1982 .

Works

• Trio in B minor for piano trio, 1907
• Prelude and Fugue for organ, 1908
• Prelude and Fugue for organ, 1909
• Variations and Epilogue on an Original Theme for Piano, 1913–15
• Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue for organ, 1916
• Sonata No. 1 for violin and piano, 1916
• Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano, 1921
• The Mystery of Bethlehem , Cantata, 1923, 1951
• Six Motets , 1924
• The Beggar's Opera , 1928
• The Order of Good Cheer Opera after Louvigny de Montigny , 1928
• The Three Kings for mixed choir, 1928
• Rise Up, My Love, My Fair One for mixed choir, 1929
• Red Carol Book for mixed choir in unison and piano, 1930
• Behold the Tabernacle of God for mixed choir, 1933
• Symphony No. 1 , 1936
• Hymn for Those in the Air , incidental music, 1942
• Piano Concerto , 1944
• Symphony No. 2 , 1948
• Royce Hall Suite for Concert Band , 1949
• Gloria Deo per immensa saecula for mixed choir, 1950
• Overture to an Unwritten Comedy , 1951
• Coronation Suite for choir and orchestra, 1952
• O Lord, Our Governour for choir and orchestra, 1953
• The Story of Bethlehem for mixed choir and organ, 1955
• Rondino, Elegy and Chaconne for organ 1956
• Five Pieces for Organ , 1958
• Three Fanfares for four trumpets, three trombones and timpani, 1959
• Poem for Strings , 1959
• Fugal Trilogy for organ, 1959
• Passacaglia and Fugue for organ, 1959
• Carols for the Seasons for female choir, 1959
• Canadian Psalter , 1963
• Anthem for the Centennial of Canadian Confederation for choir and piano, 1966

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• Healey Willan ( English, French ) In: Encyclopedia of Music in Canada . published by The Canadian Encyclopedia .
• Classical Composers - Healey Willan
• Canadian Music Center - Healey Willan