André Mathieu

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André Mathieu (18 February 1929-2 June 1968) was a Canadian pianist and composer.

[edit] Biography

His father Rudolphe Mathieu was a music teacher and composer and his mother Wilhemine Gagnon-Mathieu was a good violinist and also a teacher. André was fascinated by the world of music from an early age and received his first music lessons from his father. Rudolphe Mathieu was at first reluctant to teach his son music and André was even forbidden to touch the piano. Rudolphe regarded music as a paupers’ profession. Even so, he resigned himself to teaching music to his son as André was exceptionally talented. André began composing at the age of 4 and at 6 gave his first recital of his own composition at the Ritz Carleton Hotel in Montreal on 25 February 1935. In 1936 he performed as a soloist, his Concertino No.1 for Piano and Prchestra, on the CBC network. He was given a grant by the Quebec government that enabled him to go to Paris and study piano with Yves Nat and Mme. Giraud-Latarse. He also studied harmony and composition with Jacques de la Presle. In December 1936 he gave a recital of his works at Salle Chopin-Pleyel and again at Salle Gaveau on 26th March 1939. His recitals were received very enthusiastically by the Parisian critics. They unanimously agreed that André Mathieu was a ‘little Canadian Mozart’. Rachmaninov pronounced him, "a genius, more so than I am".

André returned to Montreal for holidays. Due to the outbreak of war he could not return to Europe. He performed in a series of recitals in Canada and gave a remarkable performance at the New York City Town Hall on 3rd February 1940. He remained in New York with his family until 1943 studying composition with Harold Morris and fulfilling concert and radio engagements. In 1941 his work Concertino No.2 won him first prize at the Young Composers’ competition organized by New York Philharmonic to mark its centenary. It was again performed at Carnegie Hall on 21st February 1942. He also played his compositions at a concert of the League of Composers.

In 1943 he returned to Montreal and gave many concerts performing Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, and Ravel as well as his own works.

In 1946 he went to Paris to study composition with Arthur Honegger and piano with Jules Gentil. But nothing seemed to go as he planned. He was disappointed by his teachers, bored and short of money. He felt lonely, homesick and vulnerable. In 1947 he returned to Montreal a changed man, tired and exhausted. He took part in Pianothons, to break records at events. He also began teaching and continued to compose. During the following years he succumbed to alcohol. He married Marie-Ange Massicotte in 1960. But their happiness was short lived due to alcoholism and André’s emotional problems. André was a prolific composer and died suddenly at the age of 39 leaving behind a wide range of music full of feeling.

In 1976 both the welcoming song and official theme-music of the Montreal Olympics were arranged from excerpts of works by André Mathieu. The André-Mathieu Club was founded in 1942 at Trois-Rivières by Mme Anaïs Allard-Rousseau to promote an interest in music among the young. The club eventually became part of the Youth and Music Canada (YMC) or Jeunesses musicales du Canada (JMC). In 1978 a (Concert Hall) Salle André-Mathieu was dedicated to him at Laval, Quebec, and in 1987 a street was named after him in the Pointe-aux-Trembles district in Montreal. The renowned pianist and classical music activist Alain Lefèvre has popularised several of André Mathieu’s music.

[edit] Works

As a composer his style leaned towards the late romantic school of Rachmaninov and his music was influenced by Debussy as well. André Mathieu wrote many works for Piano. Among the compositions of his youth are the Trois Études (1933), Les Gros Chars (1934), Procession d'éléphants (1934), Trois Pièces pittoresques (1936), Hommage à Mozart enfant (1937), and Les Mouettes (1938).

In 1939 he wrote 2 Suites for two pianos - Les Vagues and Saisons canadiennes.

In 1947 he wrote a third 'romantic' concerto for piano and orchestra; an abridged version, titled the Quebec Concerto, was played by Neil Chotem in the Canadian film La Forteresse (in English, Whispering City). His Concerto No. 3 ('Romantic'), which he performed in 1948 with CBC Montreal orchestra under Jean-Marie Beaudet was presented in 1977 in Tunisia by the pianist André-Sébastien Savoie and the Tunis Orchestra conducted by Raymond Dessaints.

Among his works for piano and violin are Fantaisie brésilienne, a Sonata, a Berceuse, and Complainte.

Among his vocal works are 'Le ciel est si bleu', 'Hymne du Bloc Populaire,' 'Les Chères Mains' (1946), and Quatre Mélodies (1948).