Sir Ernest MacMillan : the importance of being Canadian / Ezra Schabas.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Ezra Schabas provides not only the first detailed biography of MacMillan, but also a frank, richly detailed and handsomely illustrated account of the Canadian music scene.

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CHOICE Review

Although MacMillan (1893-1973) was indeed "twentieth-century Canada's major musical figure," this fine biography is the first full-length account of his life. Schabas (Royal Conservatory, Toronto) is neither uncritical nor naive in his assessment; understandably, he clearly admires his subject. Utilizing the MacMillan papers in the National Library of Canada, he reveals much about his subject and the Canadian music scene. MacMillan conducted the Toronto Symphony for 25 crucial years (1931-56), the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir for 15 (1942-57). He was founder/president of the Canadian Music Council; president of the Canadian Music Centre, of CAPAC, and of Jeunesses Musicales du Canada, a founding member of the Canada Council; Principal of the Toronto (Royal) Conservatory of Music (1926-42); and Dean of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music (1927-52). Despite his enormous influence over the development of Canadian music and musical education, MacMillan--"conductor, composer, organist, teacher, examiner, festival adjudicator, arts planner, educational administrator, ethnomusicologist, speaker, and writer"--largely avoided a self-serving use of power and was with rare exceptions as generous of spirit as with his energy and talent. Well written, with a useful bibliography and a list of compositions and recordings, this is recommended to all with an interest in Canadian music. All libraries. W. Metcalfe; University of Vermont