Healey Willan
James Healey Willan
James Healey Willan, composer, organist, choir director, educator (b at Balham [London], Eng 12 Oct 1880; d at Toronto 16 Feb 1968). A dominant figure in Canadian musical life for over half a century, Willan influenced several generations of composers, organists, choir directors, singers and audiences through his teaching and example. After immigrating to Canada in 1913 he taught at the Toronto Conservatory (1913-36) and U of T (1937-50).
View a performance of Healey Willan’s “How They So Softly Rest” featuring the Memorial University of Newfoundland Chamber Choir. From YouTube.
From 1921 until his death he was organist-choirmaster of the Anglican Church of St Mary Magdalene. In 1940 an American visitor said there were only 2 places worth visiting in Toronto. One was the Chinese collection at the Royal Ontario Museum, the other was to hear the music at St Mary Magdalene with its choirs of blended voices using a pure, even sound without vibrato. Apparently uninfluenced by musical innovations of the times, Willan's compositions reflect variously the enthusiasms of his boyhood and training in Anglo-Catholic liturgy, choral music of Tudor and contemporary English masters and the rich romanticism of Brahms and Wagner.
He composed operas, symphonies, concertos and music for band, piano, organ, choir and solo voice - some 800 works in all. The Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue (1916) for organ and An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts (1921) for unaccompanied choir represent Willan's most opulent style, contrasting with the more austere liturgical music most frequently performed. Recordings of his choral motets, masses, and organ works on the Virgin and Gothic labels have been among the best-selling classical CDs of the late 1990s. Willan was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1967. In his memory an award of $5000 to the best amateur choir in Canada happens at the biannual choral competition sponsored by the CBC. Also his choral heritage is continued in the Healey Willan Singers of Toronto, a female choir founded in 2005.
Healey Willan, composer
(public domain)
Author BARCLAY MCMILLAN Revised: ELAINE KEILLOR
Suggested Reading
F.R.C. Clarke, Healey Willan: Life and Music (1983).
Links to Other Sites
Healey Willan
A profile of Healey Willan, accomplished musician, composer, teacher, and conductor. From the website for Library and Archives Canada.
Healey Willan Singers
The official website of the Healey Willan Singers.
Healey Willan Prize
The website for the Healey Willan Prize. Features a list of previous winners of this award. From the Canada Council for the Arts.
Charles G.D. Roberts and Healey Willan: a Collaboration
An article about "At Thy Voice My Heart Wakes," a poem by Charles G.D. Roberts that was set to music by Dr. Healey Willan. Includes digitized images of the composer's manuscript scores. Canadian Poetry Press University of Western Ontario.
How They So Softly Rest
View a performance of Healey Willan’s “How They So Softly Rest” featuring the Memorial University of Newfoundland Chamber Choir. From YouTube.
NACmusicbox.ca
The acclaimed National Arts Centre Orchestra has made available hundreds of online audio clips from its recordings that feature works by noteworthy Canadian and international composers. First click on the name of a composer on the right side menu. Then click on the "Play" arrow across from "Read Concert Program Notes" to hear a specific recording. Explore the website for more information about the orchestra and each recording. See also biographies of the composers and the interactive Timeline, which depicts historical milestones in classical music. From artsalive.ca and the Virtual Museum of Canada.
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ victory in the 1967 Stanley Cup was a singular event. Who would have predicted that it would not happen again?
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