# Harry Somers

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Canadian composer

For those of a similar name, see [Harry Summers (disambiguation)](/source/Harry_Summers_(disambiguation)).

Harry Somers Somers in 1947 Background information Born (1925-09-11)September 11, 1925 Toronto, Ontario, Canada Died March 9, 1999(1999-03-09) (aged 73) Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Musical artist

**Harry Stewart Somers**, [CC](/source/Order_of_Canada) (September 11, 1925 – March 9, 1999) was a [contemporary](/source/Contemporary_classical_music) [Canadian](/source/Canadians) [composer](/source/Composer).[1][2]

Somers earned the unofficial title of "Darling of Canadian Composition."[3] He was a founding member of the [Canadian League of Composers](/source/Canadian_League_of_Composers) (CLC) and involved in the formation of other Canadian music organizations, including the [Canada Council for the Arts](/source/Canada_Council_for_the_Arts) and the [Canadian Music Centre](/source/Canadian_Music_Centre).[4] He received commissions from the [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Canadian_Broadcasting_Corporation) and the [Canada Council](/source/Canada_Council) for the Arts.[1]

## Biography

### Early life

Somers was born in [Toronto](/source/Toronto), [Ontario](/source/Ontario), Canada, on September 11, 1925.[5] Somers did not become involved in formal musical study until he reached his teenage years in 1939 when he met a doctor and his wife—both pianists—who introduced him to classical works. Somers described this first encounter years later: "A spark was ignited, and he became obsessed with music. Almost from that instant, he knew music would be his life, for better or for worse."[6]

### Musical education

Somers was 14 when he began his study of piano under the tutelage of Dorothy Hornfelt, the neighborhood piano teacher.[6] After two years with her, he was able to pass the Grade VIII examination at the [Toronto Conservatory](/source/The_Royal_Conservatory_of_Music).[6]

In 1942, Somers began studying under [Reginald Godden](https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/reginald-godden-emc#:~:text=Reginald%20Godden.,D%20LITT%20(York)%201985.) at the conservatory, whom he stayed with until 1943.[1] Godden later directed him to pursue formal studies under [John Weinzweig](/source/John_Weinzweig).[7] Weinzweig set up a program of traditional harmony study for him to study the 12-tone techniques. ([Schoenberg](/source/Arnold_Schoenberg) had enforced similarly strict lessons in traditional harmony upon his own pupils, even as he encouraged them to explore [dodecaphony](/source/Dodecaphony).) Somers remained under Weinzweig's instruction until 1949.[1]

Somers took a sabbatical from his studies in 1943 to serve with the [Royal Canadian Air Force](/source/Royal_Canadian_Air_Force) during [World War II](/source/World_War_II).[1] After WWII, Somers returned to the Royal Conservatory to continue his studies with Weinzweig with a new piano teacher, [Weldon Kilburn](https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/weldon-kilburn-emc). During this time, Somers was writing and performing his own works.[1] Somers completed his studies at the conservatory in 1948 and then spent the summer in San Francisco studying piano under [E. Robert Schmitz](/source/E._Robert_Schmitz).[8] His work was part of the music event in the [art competition](/source/Art_competitions_at_the_1948_Summer_Olympics) at the [1948 Summer Olympics](/source/1948_Summer_Olympics).[9]

In 1949, Somers started to focus on composition.[1] In 1949, he was awarded a $2000 Canadian Amateur Hockey Association scholarship to spend a year in [Paris](/source/Paris) studying composition with [Darius Milhaud](/source/Darius_Milhaud).[10] Somers composed his suite for harp and orchestra in 1949.[11] In Paris, Somers heard the music of [Boulez](/source/Pierre_Boulez) and [Messiaen](/source/Olivier_Messiaen); these composers would influence his later music.

### 1950s and 1960s

After his year with Darius Milhaud, Somers spent the 1950s devoted to composition. He earned his income as a music copyist.[1] He composed his Symphony No.1 in 1951.[12] In the 1950s, he improved his guitar skills.[1] In the 1960s, he earned money of his commissions.[1] He returned to Paris for more compositional studies with Canada Council for the Arts fellowship. While there, he concentrated on [Gregorian chant](/source/Gregorian_chant), particularly its revival by the [Solesmes Abbey](/source/Solesmes_Abbey).[1] In 1963, he became a member of the John Adaskin Project, which was an in-school initiative.[1] Also in 1963, Somers began his part-time career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation by hosting televised youth concerts.[1]

Somers's first wife, Catherine Mackie, died in 1963.[1]

In 1965, Somers began hosting the CBC radio series "Music of Today" and continued hosting it until 1969.[1] He also became the special consultant of the North York School in Toronto from 1968 to 1969.[1] In 1967, he remarried to the Canadian actress [Barbara Chilcott](/source/Barbara_Chilcott).[1] Also in 1967, he produced his best-known work, the opera *[Louis Riel](/source/Louis_Riel_(opera))*, commissioned for Canada's Centennial Year celebrations.[13] In 1969, he received an $18,000 grant from the Canadian Cultural Institute in Rome. He spent two years there, during which time he wrote *[Voiceplay](/source/VoicePlay)* and *Kyrie*.[1]

### 1970s – 1990s

In 1971, after he returned to Canada from his work in Rome, Somers was made a [Companion of the Order of Canada](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_Canada).[8] He was awarded three honorary doctorates: one from the [University of Ottawa](/source/University_of_Ottawa) (1975), one from [York University](/source/York_University) (1975), and one from the [University of Toronto](/source/University_of_Toronto) (1976).[8] In 1977, Somers made a visit to the [USSR](/source/USSR). While there, he gave lectures on Contemporary Canadian composition and spoke to other contemporary composers.[1] During the 1980s, Somers received commissions for the Banff International String Quartet Competition, the Guelph Spring Festival, the S.C. Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition and the [Canadian Opera Company](/source/Canadian_Opera_Company).[1]

In the 1990s, he composed two operas, *Serinette* to a libretto by [James Reaney](/source/James_Reaney),[14] and *Mario the Magician*, which was adapted from a story by [Thomas Mann](/source/Thomas_Mann).

Somers also completed his music *Third Piano Concerto* in 1996.[15] Somers gave the opening address at the Alberta Music Conference in 1993, wrote a choral piece for the 50th Anniversary of the [United Nations](/source/United_Nations) in 1995, and served as the writer-in-residence for the first "Word and Music Festival" held at the University of Windsor in 1997.[1] Canada honoured him in 1995 with tribute concerts given by the University of Ottawa and the [National Arts Centre](/source/National_Arts_Centre) for his 70th birthday.[1]

Somers died on March 9, 1999, in Toronto, Ontario.[1]

*Between Composers*, a volume of correspondence between Somers and [Norma Beecroft](/source/Norma_Beecroft) written in 1959-60 (they were in a romantic relationship at the time), was published in 2024.

## Styles

Harry Somers had an eclectic approach. His music was performed in the US, Central and South Americas, Europe and the Soviet Union.[1] His works include techniques such as vocalization, vowel and breath sounds, and timbrel inflections.[16] The styles that are said to have influenced Somers the most are the music of [Weinzweig](/source/John_Weinzweig), [Bartók](/source/B%C3%A9la_Bart%C3%B3k) and [Ives](/source/Charles_Ives), [Baroque](/source/Baroque_music) [counterpoint](/source/Counterpoint), [serial technique](/source/Serial_technique) and [Gregorian chant](/source/Gregorian_chant).[10]

Under Weinzweig, during the 1940s, Somers received his first formal instruction in composition. Prior to that point, he composed mainly in the style of the piano works he was playing.[6] In 1950s, Somers focused on the use of fugue-related textures and techniques.[10] Over half of the works written between 1950 and 1961 contain fugal movements. Some of his works feature "sharp, nervous, rhythmic vitality, which often serves as a foil for slower-moving subsidiary melodic lines."[10]

A 10-record set of Somers' music was included in the Anthology of Canadian Music series in 1980. The Somers' portrait in the Canadian Composers Portraits series was released in 2006.[17]

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-13) [***o***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-14) [***p***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-15) [***q***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-16) [***r***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-17) [***s***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-18) [***t***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-19) [***u***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-20) [***v***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-21) [***w***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-22) [***x***](#cite_ref-Historica_1-23) ["Harry Somers"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131212165426/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/harry-somers-emc/). *[The Canadian Encyclopedia](/source/The_Canadian_Encyclopedia)*. November 11, 2011. Archived from [the original](http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/harry-somers-emc/) on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** H. Laine, Mabel; King, Betty Nygaard; Cherney, Brian; Beckwith, John (November 20, 2011). Mcintosh, Andrew (ed.). ["Harry Somers"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230405201102/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/harry-stewart-somers). *The Canadian Encyclopedia* (an article). Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_bot:_original_URL_status_unknown))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Harry Somers (Canadian Composers Portraits Series) (January 1, 2006). Robinson, Dylan; Karantonis, Pamela (eds.). [*Opera Indigene: Re/presenting First Nations and Indigenous Cultures*](https://books.google.com/books?id=hcwoDAAAQBAJ&dq=Somers,+Harry.+2007&pg=PA259). Centrediscs (published May 13, 2016). p. 259. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781317085423](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781317085423).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CLC_4-0)** ["History of the CLC"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131030195245/http://composition.org/clc-lcc/content/index.php/en/about-us/history-of-the-clc). *Canadian League of Composers*. Archived from [the original](http://composition.org/clc-lcc/content/index.php/en/about-us/history-of-the-clc) on October 30, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Automatisering, Roffel. ["Harry Somers: Biography - Classic Cat"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230405200745/https://www.classiccat.net/somers_h/biography.php). *www.classiccat.net*. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_bot:_original_URL_status_unknown))

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cherney_1975_6_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cherney_1975_6_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Cherney_1975_6_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Cherney_1975_6_6-3) Cherney, Brian (1975). [*Harry Somers*](https://archive.org/details/harrysomers0000cher/page/6). Toronto, Ontario: University of Toronto Press. p. [6](https://archive.org/details/harrysomers0000cher/page/6). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8020-5325-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8020-5325-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Cherney_1975_9_7-0)** Cherney, Brian (1975). [*Harry Somers*](https://archive.org/details/harrysomers0000cher/page/9). Toronto, Ontario: University of Toronto Press. p. [9](https://archive.org/details/harrysomers0000cher/page/9). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8020-5325-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8020-5325-4).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Canadian_Music_Centre_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Canadian_Music_Centre_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Canadian_Music_Centre_8-2) Canadian Music Centre. ["Harry Somers: Biography"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131214041324/http://www.musiccentre.ca/node/37296/biography). Archived from [the original](http://www.musiccentre.ca/node/37296/biography) on December 14, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Harry Somers"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210916191833/https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/902733). *Olympedia*. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2020.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_bot:_original_URL_status_unknown))

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_10-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_10-3) Cherney, Brian (January 20, 2001). [*Somers, Harry*](https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/display/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000026175). Grove Music Online.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Poeschl-Edrich, Barbara (July 6, 2014), [*Lexington Symphony - Harry Somers, Suite for Harp and Chamber Orchestra.|*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjRr_ngJgHA), retrieved January 11, 2024 – via YouTube.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Harry Somers: Symphony No.1 (1951)"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoGp898HZZI), *Symphony No.1*, February 10, 2018, retrieved January 11, 2024 – via YouTube.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Turgeon, Bernard (1967), ["Harry Somers: Louis Riel"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFhejcGtzsI), *Louis Riel*, retrieved January 11, 2024 – via YouTube.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** So, Joseph (June 9, 2001). ["Serinette: Harry Somers' opera receives a rare revival"](http://www.scena.org/columns/reviews/010609-js-serinette.html). *www.scena.org*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240110233035/http://www.scena.org/columns/reviews/010609-js-serinette.html) from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Somers, Harry (1996), ["Harry Somers: Third Piano Concerto. Jamie Parker pianist"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4n7aVc2rrY), *Third Piano Concerto*, retrieved January 10, 2024 – via YouTube.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Cherney, Brian (December 1, 1992). ["Somers, Harry (opera)"](https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/display/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-5000002452?_start=1&pos=2&q=Harry%20Somers&search=quick). *Grove Music Online*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Bain, Jennifer (2006). ["Harry Somers \[review\]"](https://caml.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/caml/article/view/1319). *CAML Review*. **34** (3): 33–35. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.25071/1708-6701.1319](https://doi.org/10.25071%2F1708-6701.1319).

## Bibliography

- Beckwith, John (1974). ["Harry Somers"](https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofcont0000vint/page/688/mode/2up). In Vinton, John (ed.). *Dictionary of Contemporary Music*. New York, NY: Dutton. pp. 689–90.

- Cherney, Brian (1975). *Harry Somers*. Canadian Composers. Vol. 1. University of Toronto Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8020-5325-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8020-5325-4).

- Cherney, Brian (1995). ["Somers, Harry"](https://archive.org/details/newgrovedictiona0017unse_d4a8/page/472/mode/2up?q=harry+somers). In Sadie, Stanley (ed.). *The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians*. Macmillan. pp. 473–75.

- Cherney, Brian, ed. (2024). *Between Composers: The Letters of Norma Beecroft and Harry Somers*. McGill-Queen's University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-2280-2274-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-2280-2274-9).

- MacMillan, Keith; Beckwith, John, eds. (1975). ["Somers, Harry"](https://archive.org/details/contemporarycana00macm/page/206/mode/2up). *Contemporary Canadian Composers*. Toronto: Oxford University Press. pp. 207–14.

- Renihan, Colleen L. (2011). [*Sounding the Past: Canadian Opera as Historical Narrative*](https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/items/49ba40b2-3e7a-4e16-a397-37c7c5d8a418) (Ph.D. thesis, Musicology). University of Toronto.

- Such, Peter (1972). ["Harry Somers"](https://archive.org/details/soundprintsconte0000such/page/30/mode/2up). *Soundprints: Contemporary Composers*. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin. pp. 30–53.

- Wolters, Benita (1999). [*The Early Years of the Canadian League of Composers*](https://open.library.ubc.ca/soa/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/831/items/1.0089204) (M.A., Music). University of British Columbia.

- Zinck, Andrew M. (1993). "Bridging the Gap: The Operas of Harry Somers." SoundNotes. SN4:14-24.

## External links

Archives at Location Library and Archives Canada Identifiers R12599-0-6-E, MUS 15 Source Harry Somers fonds How to use archival material

- [Harry Somers](https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/harry-stewart-somers) *[The Canadian Encyclopedia](/source/The_Canadian_Encyclopedia)* (includes a list of his compositions)

- [Harry Somers.](https://collections.cmccanada.org/final/Portal/Composer-Showcase.aspx?component=AAIL&record=42dcbd35-1056-45bf-8073-236022e46afe) [Canadian Music Centre](/source/Canadian_Music_Centre)

- [Harry Somers](https://www.discogs.com/artist/Harry+Somers) discography at [Discogs](/source/Discogs)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States France BnF data Netherlands Poland Israel Artists MusicBrainz People Deutsche Biographie Other IdRef Open Library SNAC Yale LUX

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