In a birthday blast for Chopin's and Schumann's 200th and Robert Turner's 90th birthdays, Music Director Peter Oundjian and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra opened this season with Turner's OPENING NIGHT (A Theatre Overture). Kevin Bazzana program notes describe this work as "melodious and evocative, eclectic but accessible;" L.H. Tiffany Hsieh in La Scene Musicale heard "a sunny outburst of energy and festivity;" and John Teraud's Toronto Star review recalls "this rhythmically lively piece is a sparkling sackful of sequined syncopations. It put a smile on the evening that would last all the way through to Mahler's reorchestration of Schumann's Symphony No. 2."
In cooperation with the Prairie Region Canadian Music Centre, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Music Director, Alexander Mickelthwate appropriately chose for performance October 29th and 30th, SHADES OF AUTUMN. This 1987 work was written while Turner was in residence at the famed MacDowell Artist's Colony in New Hampshire.
Robert Turner's exhilarating and profound music stems, in part, from his minute analysis of the music of fellow international composers. In Europe and the U.S., through study, travel and personal discourse, he has shared ideas and learned from Messiaen, Britten, Berio, Andriessen, Stockhausen, Copland, William Schuman, Elliot Carter and Roy Harris as well as the many conductors and performers who have played his music. "He delighted in yearly travels,... especially sojourns in the southern climates of Italy and Spain, where we attended countless live concerts, visited museums and art galleries, explored the old homes of writers, painters and composers, and haunted the stacks of bookstores and libraries. His musical allusions and painstaking selections of the texts for vocal works reveal Turner's sophisticated affection for humour and illusiveness derived from these vital events, peoples and places he experienced as much as from the arcane cultural sources and influences he discovered in books and other composers' scores." (son, Dr. Alden Turner)
In the 1960's - 1970's Toronto Symphony Orchestra audiences heard several performances of OPENING NIGHT, the CONCERTO FOR TWO PIANOS, and three different conductor's interpretations of the 12-tonal work, THREE EPISODES. Zara Nelsova, cello and Grant Johanneson, piano toured major cities from Vancouver to Montreal with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra premiering CAPRICCIO CONCERTANTE. During the 1980's and 1990's Rivka Golani premiered the CONCERTO FOR VIOLA with Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra; the National Arts Centre Orchestra with Rivka Golani premiered A GROUP OF SEVEN which was subsequently performed by orchestras in Vancouver, Edmonton and Hamilton; Kazuhiro Koizumi conducted the profoundly moving SYMPHONY IN ONE MOVEMENT "Gift from the Sea" and Uri Mayer with the Edmonton Symphony performed SHADES OF AUTUMN. THIRD SYMPHONY, premiered by Bramwell Tovey and the Winnipeg Symphony, received several nominations and awards (Juno and WCMA). In 2003 and 2006, THE HOUSE OF SHADOWS, an 8-minute section of an unperformed opera, was heard by symphony audiences in Vancouver (Bramwell Tovey) and Winnipeg (Andrey Boreyko).
Robert Turner's "undoctrinaire openness of response seems to be the key to his work", wrote Peter Garvie (former CBC colleague) in 1969. "His music is not written to illustrate a thesis. He simply brings his resources as a composer to the problem set by a particular piece, and the problems are human as well as technical. This means that he has been able to compose attractive and popular pieces like the overture OPENING NIGHT or the concertino for jazz ensemble, ROBBINS' ROUND, as naturally as his SYMPHONY FOR STRINGS or his thoughtful chamber works. He has not had to write below his style for one or screw it up to rhetoric for the other...Robert Turner's output is thoughtful and distinguished. His music has no dogmatic allegiance (he uses serial technique freely when it suits him), but nourishes its roots in human experience and its power to communicate directly. It can be gay without being slick, and deeply felt without losing balance and clarity. These are considerable gifts."
In 2006, composer Sid Robinovitch wrote, "One of the features of Dr. Turner's music that is most apparent to me is its distinctively North American quality. I believe that his music has achieved what is characteristic of the great composers of this continent such as Copland, Harris, and Ives: it has absorbed the concrete realities of the world around us and, through wide-ranging artistic reflection, presents a mature vision of what we are all about."
Robert Turner was born in Montreal on June 6, 1920, the son of William Turner, an immigrant from Kirkaldy, Scotland, who eventually became Manager of the Royal Bank of Canada branches in Notre Dame de Grace and Montreal West, and Myrtle (Snowdon) Turner, whose family were prominent British Loyalists who settled in Quebec in the 1830s. Robert studied piano from an early age, owing in part to his father's musical interests in traditional Scottish folk music as well as Gilbert and Sullivan operettas; also, both his grandmothers were proficient amateur pianists. He developed an interest in composition during these lessons, and his first pieces were written without any formal instruction. During high school, Robert’s advanced piano studies with Frank Hanson and Walter Hungerford at the McGill Conservatory of Music led him to study composition and orchestration with Irvin Cooper, who encouraged him to attend McGill University, despite the increasing reservations and declining support of his parents. In his youth Robert enjoyed playing hockey and skiing as well as tennis, canoeing and swimming at his parents' summer home at Morin Heights in the Laurentian mountains of Quebec.
As a scholarship student at McGill, Robert Turner studied music theory and composition with Claude Champagne and Douglas Clarke; he received his Bachelor of Music degree in 1943. Following two years of military service in the cryptology division of the RCAF during World War II, he resumed composition studies with Douglas Clarke. In the summer of 1947, he attended Colorado College to work with Roy Harris; here, he met Sara Scott, a composition major from the University of Louisville studying with Harris. Sara was also specializing in tympani and mallet instruments at university, and playing in the Louisville Symphony Orchestra. During 1947-48 Robert studied composition with Herbert Howells and Gordon Jacob at the Royal College of Music in London. In 1949 Robert and Sara married and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he majored in composition with Roy Harris at Vanderbilt University's George Peabody College, graduating with a Master of Music degree in 1950. Although Robert Turner had completed numerous compositions during these years, the earliest he acknowledges is his String Quartet No. 1, written in the summer of 1949, and premiered under the aegis of Aaron Copland, at the Berkshire Music Festival in Tanglewood, Massachusetts. This first major composition was acclaimed by both Copland and Leonard Bernstein. At Tanglewood, he was studying composition with Olivier Messiaen, and Sara was studying tympani and playing in the orchestra conducted by Bernstein.
In 1952 Robert Turner joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as Music Producer in Vancouver. He also completed the requirements for the Doctorate of Music from McGill University, and received this degree in 1953. From 1952 to 1968 Dr. Turner established a most distinguished reputation among his associates as a music producer and composer throughout Canada. During these years, he was responsible for major CBC programs involving the performance of high quality 'live' music, both classical and contemporary, introducing audiences to a very diverse range of unfamiliar and innovative compositions, written or performed by the finest national and international musicians. In addition to producing weekly programs for the CBC Vancouver Chamber Orchestra, conducted by John Avison, Turner supervised chamber music recitals, opera and oratorio productions, and symphony broadcasts for the CBC national network, including performances of works such as Copland's The Tender Land, Frank Martin's Golgotha, Barbara Pentland's The Lake, Douglas Moore’s The Devil and Daniel Webster, and piano works by Arnold Schoenberg played by the renowned Canadian pianist, Glenn Gould. Turner's first major commission was received from the Vancouver Symphony, and resulted in his writing what has become a classic among Canadian compositions, Opening Night: A Theatre Overture (1955), premiered by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Irwin Hoffman in 1955. Other early pieces subsequently appearing year after year on symphony and radio programs are Nocturne (1956/65), A Children's Overture (1958), Symphony for Strings (1960), and Three Episodes (1963).
In 1968, after having spent a year in Italy composing his first opera, The Brideship, Dr. Turner decided to devote more time to composition, and accepted a professorship at the University of Manitoba’s School of Music. He found his work with student composers to be most gratifying. Many of his former students continued studies at graduate schools in Canada and the United States, and/or established reputations as composers in their own right: Peter Allen, Glenn Buhr, Bruce Carlson, T. Pat Carrabre, John Greer, Holly Harris, Rupert Lang, Diana McIntosh, Ron Paley, Robert Rogers, Linda Schwartz, David Scott, and John Winiarz. Turner’s appointment also afforded him opportunities to pursue his wide-ranging intellectual interests in Greek and Roman literature and philosophy, European history, the history of literature in English, modern fiction and poetry, and contemporary theories as well as practices of art and aesthetics. During these years Robert and Sara enjoyed extensive travels and sojourns throughout Europe and North America, and the company of their three children -- Alden, Martin and Carolyn -- all of whom have chosen careers in the arts.
In 1985 Robert Turner retired from teaching, and he is Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Manitoba. His second opera, House of Shadows, was completed in 1986, and many of his most significant orchestral works were written in the years following this retirement: Shades of Autumn (1987), Third Symphony (1990), Manitoba Memoir (1991), House of Shadows (1994), and River of Time (1994). During the 1990 season, in celebration of Turner's 70th birthday, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra performed five of his major orchestral works under the direction of Bramwell Tovey.
Robert Turner has composed over 70 compositions in all forms from symphonic and chamber works to operatic, vocal and ensemble pieces, including three symphonies, four concertos, three string quartets and two operas. He has fulfilled a great number of commissions from prominent national and international organizations and soloists, most notably the Canada Council, the Manitoba Arts Council, and C.B.C. Radio. His orchestral works have been successfully performed under many distinguished conductors: Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Karel Ancerl, Gary Bertini, Sergiu Commissiona, Franz-Paul Decker, Charles Dutoit, Agnes Grossmann, Derrick Inouye, Sir Ernest McMillan, Seiji Ozawa, Simon Streatfeild, and Bramwell Tovey.
In recognition of his distinguished, creative, and innovative contributions to Canadian music and culture, Robert Turner received the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (1993), the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal (2003) and was appointed to the Order of Canada (2003).
2010 Alden Turner, Ph.D
Robert Turner naît à Montréal le 6 juin 1920, fils de William Turner, un immigrant de Kirkaldy, en Écosse, qui deviendra le directeur des succursales de la Banque Royale du Canada à Notre-Dame-de-Grâce et à Montréal-Ouest, et de Myrtle (Snowdon) Turner, membre d'une famille en vue de loyalistes britanniques établie au Québec dans les années 1830. Robert entreprend tout jeune l'étude du piano, ce qu'il doit en partie à l'intérêt que porte son père au folklore écossais traditionnel ainsi qu'aux opérettes de Gilbert et Sullivan, et en partie au fait que ses deux grands-mères sont des pianistes amateurs accomplies. Ses cours de piano éveillent son intérêt pour la composition, et il compose ses premières pièces en autodidacte. Pendant ses études secondaires, ses cours avancés de piano avec Frank Hanson et Walter Hungerford au Conservatoire de musique McGill l'incitent à étudier la composition et l'orchestration avec Irvin Cooper, qui l'encourage à s'inscrire à l'Université McGill malgré les objections croissantes de ses parents. Dans sa jeunesse, Robert aime jouer au hockey et faire du ski, en plus de pratiquer le tennis, le canot et la natation à la résidence d'été de ses parents à Morin Heights, dans les Laurentides québécoises.
Titulaire d'une bourse à l'Université McGill, Robert Turner étudie la théorie musicale et la composition avec Claude Champagne et Douglas Clarke et obtient son baccalauréat en musique en 1943. Après deux ans de service militaire dans la division de cryptologie de l'Armée de l'air canadienne pendant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale, il reprend ses études de composition auprès de Douglas Clarke. Au cours de l'été 1947, il étudie avec Roy Harris au Colorado College; il y rencontre Sara Scott, une élève de composition de l'Université de Louisville, qui étudie également avec Harris. À l'université, Sara étudie en outre les timbales et les instruments à maillets et joue au sein de l'Orchestre symphonique de Louisville. Pendant l'année 1947-1948, Robert étudie la composition auprès de Herbert Howells et de Gordon Jacob au Royal College of Music à Londres. En 1949, Robert et Sara se marient et emménagent à Nashville, au Tennessee, où Robert est de nouveau l'élève de composition de Roy Harris au George Peabody College de l'Université Vanderbilt, où il obtient une maîtrise en musique en 1950. Bien qu'il ait composé plusieurs Å“uvres au cours de ces années, la première qu'il reconnaît est le String Quartet No. 1, écrit pendant l'été 1949, et créé sous l'égide d'Aaron Copland au Berkshire Music Festival à Tanglewood, au Massachusetts. Cette première Å“uvre d'envergure est saluée autant par Copland que par Leonard Bernstein. À Tanglewood, Robert étudie la composition avec Olivier Messiaen, tandis que Sara étudie les timbales et joue dans l'orchestre dirigé par Bernstein.
En 1952, Robert Turner devient réalisateur d'émissions musicales à la Société Radio-Canada à Vancouver. Parallèlement, il s'inscrit au doctorat à l'Université McGill, qu'il obtient en 1953. De 1952 à 1968, il acquiert une réputation très enviable auprès de ses collègues de tout le Canada à titre de réalisateur et de compositeur. Pendant ces années, il est responsable à la SRC d'émissions importantes faisant appel à des exécutions sur scène de haut niveau du répertoire classique et contemporain, et qui présentent aux auditeurs une gamme très variée d'Å“uvres peu familières et innovatrices composées ou interprétées par les plus grands musiciens canadiens et étrangers. En plus de réaliser chaque semaine des enregistrements de l'Orchestre de chambre de Radio-Canada à Vancouver, dirigé par John Avison, Robert Turner supervise les enregistrements de récitals de musique de chambre, d'opéras et d'oratorios ainsi que de concerts symphoniques diffusés au réseau national de la SRC, y compris des interprétations d'Å“uvres telles que The Tender Land de Copland, Golgotha de Frank Martin, The Lake de Barbara Pentland et des compositions pour piano d'Arnold Schoenberg jouées par le célèbre pianiste canadien, Glenn Gould. Turner reçoit de l'Orchestre symphonique de Vancouver sa première commande importante, qui conduit à la composition de ce qui est devenu un classique du répertoire canadien, Opening Night : A Theatre Overture (1955). L'Å“uvre est créée en 1955 par l'Orchestre symphonique de Vancouver sous la direction d'Irwin Hoffman. Parmi les autres premières Å“uvres de son catalogue que l'on retrouve régulièrement au programme des orchestres symphoniques et des émissions de radio figurent Nocturne (1956/1965), A Children's Overture (1958), Symphony for Strings (1960) et Three Episodes (1963).
En 1968, au retour d'un séjour d'un an en Italie où il a composé son premier opéra, The Brideship, Robert Turner décide de se consacrer davantage à la composition et accepte un poste de professeur à l'École de musique de l'Université du Manitoba. Il y trouve le contact avec les étudiants en composition très enrichissant. Un grand nombre de ses anciens élèves ont fait des études supérieures à des institutions canadiennes et américaines, ou se sont fait une réputation comme compositeurs à leur tour : citons Peter Allen, Glenn Buhr, Bruce Carlson, T. Pat Carrabré, John Greer, Holly Harris, Rupert Lang, Diana McIntosh, Ron Paley, Robert Rogers, Linda Schwartz, David Scott et John Winiarz. Ses fonctions à l'université permettent également à Robert Turner d'approfondir ses connaissances dans des domaines variés qui l'intéressent depuis toujours, soit la littérature et la philosophie grecque et romaine, l'histoire européenne, l'histoire de la littérature anglaise, la fiction et la poésie modernes ainsi que les théories et la pratique contemporaines de l'art et de l'esthétique. C'est une période où Robert et Sara voyagent et séjournent fréquemment en Europe et en Amérique du Nord et profitent de la compagnie de leurs trois enfants - Alden, Martin et Carolyn - qui ont tous fait carrière dans le domaine des arts.
À sa retraite de l'enseignement en 1985, Robert Turner a été nommé professeur émérite de l'Université du Manitoba. Il a terminé son deuxième opéra, Vile Shadows, en 1986 et il a écrit plusieurs de ses partitions pour orchestre les plus significatives après avoir pris sa retraite : Shades of Autumn (1987), Third Symphony (1990), Manitoba Memoir (1991), House of Shadows (1994) et River of Time (1994). Pendant la saison 1990, pour souligner le 70e anniversaire de naissance du compositeur, l'Orchestre symphonique de Winnipeg a exécuté cinq de ses Å“uvres majeures pour orchestre, sous la direction de Bramwell Tovey. En 2001, Robert et Sara sont retournés vivre sur la côte pacifique où ils continuent de profiter d'une retraite bien remplie au bord de l'océan, dans la région d'Oak Bay, à Victoria.
Robert Turner a composé à ce jour quelque 70 Å“uvres dans tous les genres -- symphonique, musique de chambre, opéra, musique vocale et pour ensemble - dont trois symphonies, quatre concertos, trois quatuors à cordes et deux opéras. Il a reçu un grand nombre de commandes d'organismes et de solistes de premier plan au Canada et à l'étranger, en particulier du Conseil des Arts du Canada, du Conseil des Arts du Manitoba et de la radio de la SRC. Ses Å“uvres pour orchestre ont été présentées avec succès par maints chefs d'orchestre de distinction, incluant Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Karel Ancerl, Gary Bertini, Sergiu Commissiona, Franz-Paul Decker, Charles Dutoit, Agnes Grossmann, Derrick Inouye, Sir Ernest MacMillan, Seiji Ozawa, Simon Streatfield et Bramwell Tovey.
En reconnaissance de son apport distingué, créateur et innovateur à la musique et à la culture canadiennes, Robert Turner s'est vu décerner la Médaille commémorative du 125e anniversaire de la Confédération du Canada (1993) ainsi que l'Ordre du Canada (2003).
- Alden Turner, Ph.D.
Décembre 2010
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