Matton, Roger

Matton, Roger , Canadian composer and ethnomusicologist; b. Granby, Quebec, May 18, 1929. He studied with Sister Yvette Dufault (piano and theory) before pursuing his training at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal with Champagne (composition), Delorme (solfège and harmony), and Letondal (piano). He went to Paris to study with Messiaen (analysis) at the Cons. (1950; 1953–54), and also was a student of Vaurabourg-Honegger (piano privately, 1950, and at the École Normale de Musique, 1952–53). He also studied with Boulanger (analysis, counterpoint, and composition privately, 1952–55). From 1956 to 1976 he was a researcher and ethnomusicologist at the Archives de folklore at Laval Univ. in Quebec City. He also taught there, later serving as a teacher of composition and then of the history of contemporary music at its school of music (1960–63) and finally of ethnomusicology at its Dept. of Canadian Studies and Dept. of History (1963–89). While his compositions partake of various contemporary trends, his works remain generally tonally anchored. In a number of his works, folk melos may be discerned.

Works

orch.: Danse lente (Gymnopédie) for Chamber Orch. (1947); Concerto for Saxophone and Strings (1948); Pax (1950); L’Horoscope, suite chorégraphique (1957; CBC Radio, Oct. 12, 1958; as a ballet, CBC-TV, Nov. 6, 1958); Mouvment symphonique I (Quebec City, Nov. 14, 1960), II: Musique pour un drame (Montreal, April 17, 1962), III (Quebec City, May 7, 1974), and IV (1978); Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orch. (Quebec City, Nov. 30, 1964). chamber: Étude for Clarinet and Piano (1946); Esquisse for String Quartet (1949); Concerto for 2 Pianos and Percussion (1955). keyboard: piano: Berceuse (1945); Danse brésilienne (1946; orchestrated 1971); Trois Préludes (1949). organ:Suite de Paues (1952); Tu es Petrus (1984). vocal:L’Escaouette for Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1957); Te Deum for Baritone, Chorus, Orch., and Tape (1967).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire