Achille Fortier
Encyclopedia
Achille Fortier was a Canadian composer
and music educator. His compositional output includes a modest amount of choral
and chamber
works, several songs and motet
s, and a small amount of symphonic
music. A considerable portion of his compositions are religious in nature. Much of his work remains unpublished and some of his music is now lost as it was destroyed by a fire. The Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
holds more than 30 of his original scores in its collection.
, Fortier received his initial musical training at the Petit Séminaire de Saint-Thérèse just outside Montreal where he was a pupil of Father Sauvé. He then pursued further studies with Guillaume Couture
and Dominique Ducharme
in Montreal. In 1885 Fortier went to France to attend the Conservatoire de Paris
where he studied for the next five years. Among his teachers there were Théodore Dubois
(harmony
), Romain Bussine
(singing
), and Ernest Guiraud
(music composition).
In 1890 Fortier returned to Canada to join the teaching staff at the Institut Nazareth in Montreal where he was an instructor for classes in counterpoint
, harmony, and singing. He also taught similar courses at the Dames du Sacré-Coeur Convent, the Villa-Maria Convent, and at the Conservatoire of the Canadian Artistic Society. Some of his notable pupils included Jean-Noël Charbonneau, Gabriel Cusson
, Frédéric Pelletier
, and Édouard LeBel. From 1892-1893 he served as the choirmaster for the Notre-Dame Basilica
in Montreal. He later worked in Ottawa for many years as a French to English translator for the Canadian federal government, beginning in 1900. He died in Viauville
at the age of 74.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and music educator. His compositional output includes a modest amount of choral
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
and chamber
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
works, several songs and motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s, and a small amount of symphonic
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
music. A considerable portion of his compositions are religious in nature. Much of his work remains unpublished and some of his music is now lost as it was destroyed by a fire. The Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec is the Crown corporation acting as the provincial library and archives of Quebec...
holds more than 30 of his original scores in its collection.
Life
Born in Saint-Clet, QuebecSaint-Clet, Quebec
Saint-Clet is a municipality located in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality within the Montérégie region of Quebec. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 1,725.-Population:Population trend-Language:...
, Fortier received his initial musical training at the Petit Séminaire de Saint-Thérèse just outside Montreal where he was a pupil of Father Sauvé. He then pursued further studies with Guillaume Couture
Guillaume Couture (musician)
Guillaume Couture was a Canadian choir conductor, composer, music critic, and music educator. Although he never pursued a performance career, he is particularly remembered for his work as a voice teacher; having taught many notable Canadian singers...
and Dominique Ducharme
Dominique Ducharme (musician)
Dominique Ducharme was a Canadian pianist, organist, and music educator. He studied with Paul Letondal and Charles Wugk Sabatier in Canada before studying for 5 years at the Conservatoire de Paris in France with Antoine Marmontel and François Bazin...
in Montreal. In 1885 Fortier went to France to attend the Conservatoire de Paris
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
where he studied for the next five years. Among his teachers there were Théodore Dubois
Théodore Dubois
François-Clément Théodore Dubois was a French composer, organist and music teacher.-Biography:Théodore Dubois was born in Rosnay in Marne. He studied first under Louis Fanart and later at the Paris Conservatoire under Ambroise Thomas. He won the Prix de Rome in 1861...
(harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
), Romain Bussine
Romain Bussine
Romain Bussine was a French poet, baritone, and voice teacher who lived during the 19th century.In 1871, together with Camille Saint-Saëns and Henri Duparc, he founded the Société Nationale de Musique as a forum for promoting contemporary French chamber and orchestral music...
(singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
), and Ernest Guiraud
Ernest Guiraud
Ernest Guiraud was a French composer and music teacher born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known for writing the traditional orchestral recitatives used for Bizet's opera Carmen and for Offenbach's opera Les contes d'Hoffmann .- Biography :Guiraud began his schooling in Louisiana under the...
(music composition).
In 1890 Fortier returned to Canada to join the teaching staff at the Institut Nazareth in Montreal where he was an instructor for classes in counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
, harmony, and singing. He also taught similar courses at the Dames du Sacré-Coeur Convent, the Villa-Maria Convent, and at the Conservatoire of the Canadian Artistic Society. Some of his notable pupils included Jean-Noël Charbonneau, Gabriel Cusson
Gabriel Cusson
Gabriel Cusson was a Canadian composer and music educator. As a composer, his music was heavily influenced by the style of early 20th century French composers...
, Frédéric Pelletier
Frédéric Pelletier
Frédéric Pelletier was a Canadian choir conductor, music educator, composer, music critic, journalist, civil servant, military officer, and physician. He was one of the principal music critics in Montreal during the first half of the 20th century, having worked in that capacity for every major...
, and Édouard LeBel. From 1892-1893 he served as the choirmaster for the Notre-Dame Basilica
Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal)
Notre-Dame Basilica is a basilica in the historic district of Old Montreal, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The church is located at 110 Notre-Dame Street West, at the corner of Saint Sulpice Street...
in Montreal. He later worked in Ottawa for many years as a French to English translator for the Canadian federal government, beginning in 1900. He died in Viauville
Viauville
Viauville is a is a Montreal neighbourhood in the borough of Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. Established in 1892 as a result of an urban plan made by Charles-Théodore Viau and the former city of Maisonneuve, and part of the aforementioned city, Viauville never obtained municipality status.Viauville...
at the age of 74.
Honors
- In 1926 he was awarded an Honorary doctorate from the Université de MontréalUniversité de MontréalThe Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
. - In 1985 the city of Montreal named a street in the Pointe-aux-TremblesPointe-aux-TremblesPointe-aux-Trembles was a municipality, founded in 1674, that was annexed by Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1982. This was the last city to be merged into Montreal until the 2002 municipal reorganization of districts and municipalities as boroughs....
district after him. - In 1988 soprano Liette Turner, cellist Alain Aubut, and pianist Réjean Coallier formed the chamber group Ensemble Achille-Fortier, an ensemble dedicated to performing music from Quebec of the 19th century and early 20th century. The group has released several CDs, many of which contain music by Fortier.