Alfred Lamoureux

Alfred Lamoureux

Alfred Lamoureux, composer, organist, pianist, singer, teacher (born 29 December 1876 in Montréal, Québec; d there 10 Mar 1954). Honorary D MUS (Montreal) 1937. At the Institut Nazareth 1889-97 his teachers included Achille Fortier (harmony, composition, voice), Romain-Octave Pelletier (organ), Victoria Cartier (piano), and Frantz Jehin-Prume and J.-J. Goulet (violin). He taught 1897-1940 at several institutions in the Montreal region: St-Laurent College; the Marie-Rose, Mont-Royal, Hochelaga, and St-Lambert boarding schools; the Académie Cherrier; the Victor-Doré School; and the Institut Nazareth. His pupils included Louise André, Hervé Cloutier, Gabriel Cusson, Gérald Desmarais, and Sister Marie-Stéphane. He was a soloist in numerous Montreal churches.

Lamoureux's activities as a composer lent a particular significance to his work as a teacher. He wrote four masses, of which one, based on Christmas carols, was premiered 25 Dec 1913 in St-Laurent, Que, and was published by J.-R. Gaudin. Among his other works are the oratorios Tragédie d'Esther and La Samaritaine, numerous motets (some published), songs and much secular choral music which has remained in manuscript. Many of his works are held at the BN du Q.

This blind musician's erudition was manifest in his lectures Causeries sur l'art musical and Causeries sur différents musiciens (Montreal 1946), which were transcribed into Braille. He was the author of the Manuel d'histoire de la musique pour les couvents et les collèges and a summary of the history of the plastic arts and literature as they relate to music (Montreal 1917). His writings were deposited in the library of the Institut Nazareth.