Garant, (Albert Antonio) Serge

Garant, (Albert Antonio) Serge, Canadian composer, conductor, pianist, and teacher; b. Quebec City, Sept. 22, 1929; d. Sherbrooke, Quebec, Nov. 1, 1986. He learned to play the clarinet and saxophone, and then played in the Sherbrooke Sym. Orch. and in jazz groups. He also studied piano and harmony in Sherbrooke (1946–50), and was a student of Yvonne Hubert (piano) and Champagne (composition) in Montreal (1948–50) before pursuing his training in Paris with Messiaen (musical analysis) and Vaurabourg-Honegger (counterpoint) in 1951–52; later he had lessons in conducting with Boulez in Basel (summer, 1969). He was actively engaged in contemporary music circles in Montreal. In 1966 he helped found the Societe de musique contemporaine du Quebec there, for which he served as conductor for the rest of his life. From 1967 he also taught at the Univ. of Montreal. In 1980 he was made a member of the Order of Canada. His output charted a thoroughly contemporary course in which serial techniques were relieved by an infusion of lyricism. His Nucléogame (1955) was the first score by a Canadian composer to combine the use of tape and instruments.

Works

ORCH Musique pour la mort d’un poete for Piano and Strings (1954); Enneade (1963); Ouranos (1963); Amuya (1968); Phrases II (1968); Offrande I (1969) and 71 (1970); Circuits III (1973); Plages (1981). CHAMBER: Nucleogame: In Memo-riam Anton Webern for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, and Tape (1955); Canon VI for 10 Performers (1957); Pieces pour quatour for String Quartet (1958–59); Asymetries No. 2 for Clarinet and Piano (1959); Jeu a quatre for 4 Instrumental Groups (1968); Offrande III for 3 Cellos, 2 Harps, Piano, and 2 Percussion (1971); Circuits I for 6 Percussionists (1972) and II for 14 Performers (1972); Quintet for Flute, Oboe, Cello, Piano, and Percussion (1978). Piano : Piece No. 1 (1953; rev. 1959) and No. 2 (1962); Musique rituelle (1954); Variations (1954); Asymetries No. 1 (1958). VOCAL: Anerca for Soprano and 8 Performers (1961); Cage d’oiseau for Soprano and Piano (1962); Phrases I for Mezzo-soprano, Piano, Celesta, and Percussion (1967); …chant d’amours for Soprano, Contralto, Baritone, and 13 Performers (1975); Rivages for Baritone and 8 Performers (1976). OTHER: Film and television scores.

Bibliography

M.-T. Lefebvre, S. G. et la revolution musicale au Quebec (Montreal, 1986).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire