Albertine Caron-Legris

Caron-Legris, Albertine

Albertine Caron-Legris (b Caron, m Legris). Pianist, composer, teacher, b Louiseville, near Trois-Rivières, Que, 1906, d Montreal 1972; B MUS (Montreal) 1942. In Montreal she studied piano with Romain-Octave Pelletier and later with Michel Hirvy, singing with Rodolphe Plamondon, and composition with Canon Élysée Panneton and Eugène Lapierre. After her marriage ca 1918, she began teaching in Montreal and giving piano recitals throughout Quebec. She was known mainly, however, as a composer. She wrote songs, piano music, and harmonizations of folksongs. Her best-known work is probably 'La Berceuse de Donalda' (Musica Enr 1947) featured on the CBC radio (later TV) program 'Un Homme et son péché'. A Canada Council grant made possible the publication of Mes Plus Belles Chansons (Montreal 1962), a collection of song melodies arranged for children to play on the piano. Other compositions included Poème pastorale for the piano (BMIC 1948) and two songs - 'Soir d'hiver' (BMIC 1948) and 'Ceux qui s'aiment sont toujours malheureux,' (Le Passe-Temps Mar 1947). Among singers who have performed Caron-Legris songs are Raoul Jobin, Nicholas Massue, Marthe Létourneau, Maureen Forrester, and Albert Viau. Her personal papers have been deposited at the National Library of Canada.