Victory Gerard

Victory, Gerard (real name, Alan Loraine),

Irish composer, conductor, and broadcasting administrator; b. Dublin, Dec. 24,1921; d. there, March 14, 1995. He was educated at Belvedere Coll., Dublin, the Univ. of Ireland (B.A.), and Trinity Coll., Univ. of Dublin (B.Mus.). From 1948 to 1953 he was active with the Irish Radio Service. He was a radio (1953-61) and television (1961-62) producer with Radio Telefis Eireann. After serving as its deputy director of music (1962-67), he was its director of music (1967-82). From 1981 to 1983 he was president of UNESCO’s International Rostrum of Composers. In 1972 he was awarded an honorary Mus.D. degree from Trinity Coll. In 1975 he received the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France and the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Victory created an extensive body of music in various genres and styles. His works were always handsomely crafted and couched in a generally accessible idiom.

Works

dramatic: Open: An Fear a phós Balb-hán (The Silent Wife; 1952; Dublin, April 6,1953); Iomrall Aithne (1955-56); The Stranger (1958); The Music Hath Mischief (1960); Chatterton (1967); Eloise and Abelard (1970-72); Circe 1991,radio opera (1971); An Evening for Three (1975); The Rendezvous (1988-89; Dublin, Nov. 2, 1989); Wooing of Etain,children’s opera (1994). Operetta: Nita (1944); Once Upon a Moon (1949); The 2 Violins (1955). Musical Plays: Eldorado (1953); The Martinique Story (1960-61). Other: Incidental music for plays; film music. ORCH.: The Enchanted Garden (1950-51); Elegy (1951); Marche Pittoresque (1951); 2 piano concertos (1954, 1972); Charade,overture (1955); Patrician Theme(1956); The Rapparee,overture (1959); 4 syms.: No. 1, Short Symphony (1961), No. 2, II Ricorso (1977), No. 3, Refrains (1984; Dublin, July 19, 1985), and No. 4 (1990; Dublin, Dec. 7, 1991); Ballade (1963); 5 Mantrasfor Strings (1963); Pariah Music (1965); La Montana (1965); Treasure Island,overture (1966); Favola di Notte (1966; Dublin, Feb. 26,1967); Spook Galop (1966); Homage to Petrarchfor Strings (1967); 4 Tableaux (1968); Accordion Concerto (1968; RTE, Dublin, May 22,1970); Miroirs (1969); Jonathan Swift-A Symphonic Portrait (1970); Praeludium (1970); Cyrano de Bergerac Overture (1970; Dublin, March 14, 1972); The Spirit of Molière,suite (1971); Harp Concerto (1971); Tetragonfor Oboe and Orch. (1971); From Renoir’s Workshop (1973; RTE, Dublin, Aug. 20, 1974); Canto (1973); Capricciofor Violin and Orch. (1975); Olympic Festival Overture (RTE, Dublin, Sept. 1, 1975); Barocco Suite (1978); Cello Concerto (1978); 9 Variations on the Cravate (1978); Fabula Mystica Graecafor Strings (1980); 3 Irish Pictures (1979-80); 6 Epiphanies on the Author (In Memory of James Joyce) (1981; Dublin, Feb. 5, 1982); 5 Inventionsfor Violins and Strings (Galway, May 1, 1982); The Broad and the Narrow Ways,suite (1984; Dublin, June 1985); Tableaux Sportifs (1984; Radio France, June 1985; also for Chamber Ensemble); Monte Cristo,concert overture (1987; also for Concert Band); Concertino à la Grecquefor Trombone and Orch. (1987; Dublin, Feb. 23, 1995); Salute to the Presidentor Óraos don Uachtarán,concert overture (Dublin, Oct. 10, 1990); Eblana: A Symphonic Portrait of Dublin (1990-91; Belfast, June 20, 1993); Ave Scientia,concert overture (1994; Galway, Oct. 1995); also pieces for Brass and Concert Bands. CHAMBER: Wind Quintet (1957); Esquissefor Oboe and Piano (1960); Canzonafor Violin and Piano (1962); String Quartet (1963); Rodomontadefor Woodwind Quintet (1964); Semantiquesfor Flute and Piano (1967); 3 Legendsfor Piano, Violin, Clarinet, and Cello (1969); Piano Quintet (1970); Trois contes de feefor Clarinet and Piano (1970); Trio for Accordion, Guitar, and Percussion (1970); Alto Saxophone Sonatine (1975); Adest Horafor Violin, Clarinet, Cello, Piano, and Percussion (1977); 5 Exotic Dancesfor Brass Sextet (1979); String Trio (1982; Dublin, Jan. 30, 1984); Commediafor Brass Quintet (1985; Dublin, Jan. 1986); Trio for Violin, Horn, and Piano (1986); Runic Variationsfor Flute and Clarinet (1988); Morescafor Violin, Cello, and Harp (1989; Dublin, Feb. 6,1990); Denkmalfor String Trio (1993). Piano: Sonata (1958); Prélude and Toccata (1962); 3 Masks (1965); Cinque Correlazioni (1966; Dublin, Jan. 10, 1971); Verona Préludes (1979; Dublin, Jan. 5,1980). VOCAL: Quartettofor Soloists, Narrator, and Chorus (1965); The Island People,cantata for Children’s Chorus, Narrator, and Instruments (1967); Civitas Novafor Soloists, Chorus, and Organ (1968); The Magic Trumpetfor Speaker, Chorus, and Orch. (1970; rev. 1983); Mass for Christmas Dayfor Baritone, Chorus, and Organ (1973); Processus,cantata for Chorus, Instruments, and Tape (1973-75; RTE, Dublin, June 28, 1976); Sailing to Byzantiumfor Alto and Orch. (1975); Mass of the Resurrectionfor Chorus and Organ (1977); 7 Songs of Experiencefor Soloists and Chorus (1977-78); Ultima Rerum,symphonic Requiem for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1979-81; Dublin, March 3, 1984); King Sweeney,cantata for Speaker, Tenor, Chorus, and Chamber Ensemble (1983); Songs from Lyonnesse,cantata for Chorus and Piano (1983); Children of the Last Music,dramatic cantata for Narrator, Soloists, Chorus, Piano, and 2 Percussion (1990); Seasons of Erosfor Baritone and Piano or Orch. (1990); Responsibilitiesfor Chorus (1991); The Everlasting Voices,cantata for Chorus and Organ (Belfast, Aug. 27, 1993); A Musical Instrumentfor Soprano and Chorus (1993); many other choral works, song cycles, and solo songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire