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University of Alberta Music on the Periphery: Concert Programs and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, 1920-1933 by Nicholas Robert Steinwand f7^\ A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Music Edmonton, Alberta Spring 2008 Library and Bibliotheque et 1*1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-45744-3 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-45744-3 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par Plntemet, prefer, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans loan, distribute and sell theses le monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non sur support microforme, papier, electronique commercial purposes, in microform, et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation. reproduced without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne Privacy Act some supporting sur la protection de la vie privee, forms may have been removed quelques formulaires secondaires from this thesis. ont ete enleves de cette these. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires in the document page count, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. Canada ABSTRACT Formed in 1920, the initial incarnation of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra became an important part of the community until financial difficulties forced its dissolution in 1933. The concerts performed by the orchestra have left a wealth of material that can be examined to discover the role of the orchestra within a certain society, and the perceptions that citizens of Edmonton had about different types of music. A comparison of concert programs with various orchestras in Canada and across the world illustrates how Edmonton's orchestra was both similar and unique in the music that was programmed. Furthermore, a variety of issues emerge from closer examination that can strengthen our understanding of music and society; topics such as the way in which Western art music was construed and presented to an audience or conceptions of social class that resulted highlight the interaction between a musical organization and the people of a city. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Although typically only one name appears on the front of a book or thesis, there are inevitably countless people whose efforts positively affect the final product. This has very much proven true through my experience of completing this project, and I would like to recognize a few of the valuable contributions here. Many friends have graciously offered their support, and I am grateful to each of them. Thanks to Alicia Satterly for our continued discussions of all things musical. Christie Nobes and Nancy Winchel enthusiastically read portions of this thesis, and helped to discover details I had overlooked. Drew McDowell and Clement McLachlan have always been great friends and encouragers, especially during the writing process. In particular, our "Civ IV sessions" kept me sane when life was becoming overly hectic. Likewise, many professors I have studied with over the years have made learning a joy and have given me an insatiable curiosity to discover all that I can about music and whatever else may come my way. The guidance of Dr. Donald Quantz was especially important in bringing me to this point; the many opportunities he afforded me have helped lead me to the area and discipline that I am most passionate about. The members of my examination committee have also been most helpful. The suggestions of Dr. David Hall, for instance, have provided an invaluable viewpoint from the perspective of another discipline. Thanks also to Dr. Mary Ingraham for reading through the thesis and providing many useful comments; her ideas helped to clarify and develop this work in ways I might otherwise have missed. Special mention must be made of my graduate advisor, Dr. David Gramit. His wisdom and insightful observations have continually expanded the ways in which I approach and think about various topics and issues, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities I have had to learn with him. The guidance he has provided during the writing of this thesis has undoubtedly helped to enrich the whole. Finally, this endeavor would not have been at all possible without the encouragement of family, from aunts and uncles, to grandparents, to my brother and his family. Most important, however, has been the unfailing love and support of my parents. They have continually sacrificed beyond the call of duty so that I might achieve my goals and dreams, and I am forever grateful. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Edmonton, Music, and the ESO 11 I: A History of the City: 1795 -1930 11 II: Edmonton's Music: 1880s - 1920s 17 III: A History of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra 22 Chapter 2: Programming the ESO 46 I: Analysing ESO Programs 46 II: The ESO and the Contemporaneous Canadian Orchestra 52 III: ESO Programs and the Worldwide Orchestra 65 Chapter 3: ESO Concerts and Representation 73 Chapter 4: The ESO in Edmonton Society 94 Epilogue 117 Bibliography 120 Archives 120 Articles 120 Books 123 Newspaper Articles 127 Websites 135 Appendix 1: ESO Personnel 137 Appendix 2: ESO Forces - Sample Representations 139 Appendix 3: Performances of Composers by the ESO 140 Appendix 4: Concert Listings from Extant ESO Programs 142 Appendix 5: ESO Concerts, 1920-1933 144 Appendix 6: Living vs. Deceased Composer Chart 160 Appendix 7: Composer Nationality Chart: Number Totals 161 Appendix 8: Composer Nationality Chart: Percentage Totals 164 Introduction: The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra on the Periphery If asked to name an orchestra, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) would likely not be the first to come to mind for most people; the New York Philharmonic or Montreal Symphony Orchestra might be two examples of ensembles more frequently mentioned. The roles of prestigious orchestras like the New York and Montreal organizations have historically received much attention from scholars, but the operations of smaller, lesser-known orchestras has typically been underrepresented. Yet examining an organization like the ESO on the "periphery" can strengthen our understanding of the orchestra and the way in which music becomes an active agent in society.1 Indeed, Edmonton at the time was very much on the musical periphery. In the nineteenth century, North Americans viewed themselves as being on the cultural outskirts of Europe, and hoped eventually to demonstrate their abilities within the arts. Though European musicians came to North America and many orchestras became at least equal to ensembles in the old world, the standards of repertoire, professionalism, and so forth were still set in Europe. Edmonton was not only set within this North American context, but was also on the periphery of North America itself, and Edmontonians often wanted their cultural institutions to be considered equal to those across the continent. Thus, looking at various issues 1 Periphery here is used to define an organization or location that typically has not received much attention from the scholarly community, one that is not, for one reason or another, chosen as a topic of study. 1 related to the ESO in the 1920s will not only help us understand its role within a relatively new city, but can also provide insight into how different people have attempted to use music in various situations. Was their repertoire, for example, similar to or vastly different from major orchestras? What did the ESO's supporters hope to accomplish in Edmonton? A study of such questions will begin to reveal the motivations and aspirations of one group of citizens, which in turn may reflect onto the larger musical community. As each city has its own distinct history that affects the development of cultural institutions, knowledge of Edmonton's past is essential to the present study. Furthermore, as a location that has received less attention than larger metropolitan centres across the world, the history of Edmonton is one that has not been widely disseminated. For these reasons, chapter one begins with a brief overview of the city's past, focusing on the years from the founding of Fort Edmonton in 1795 until the 1920s, when the ESO first appeared. Likewise, in order to highlight the activities of Edmonton's musical community, both historically and during the 1920s and 30s, a section on the musical history of the city is included. The orchestra is not well known to a majority of people, and since background knowledge of the ESO is necessary for further discussion of the issues raised, the first chapter concludes with a history of the organization. Emphasis is given to not only major events and people during the orchestra's 2 existence, but also to the music performed by the ESO, since issues of programming are central to this discussion. While multiple books have been written on other orchestras, one is not so fortunate when investigating the ESO, and most volumes that include some discussion of music in Edmonton or Alberta give the ESO limited attention.