Édouard-Zotique Massicotte

Massicotte, Édouard-Zotique

Édouard-Zotique Massicotte (pseudonyms: Blondel, Cabrette, Mistigri). Folklorist, historian, archivist, poet, dramatist, botanist, b Montreal 24 Dec 1867, d there 8 Nov 1947; LL B (Laval) 1895, honorary D LITT (Montreal) 1936. After graduating in law in 1895 he abandoned the legal profession for journalism, which he had attempted first in 1886, and began contributing to several Montreal newspapers, including Le Monde illustré. An actor on occasion, he also wrote a play, Les Cousins du député, produced in 1896. His interest in folklore began in 1883, when he started collecting songs in the Montreal region. He was a founding member of the École littéraire de Montréal in 1895 and was appointed archivist of the judicial district of Montreal in 1911.

He met Marius Barbeau in 1917 and collected with him in Montreal and in the Trois-Rivières area. The words and music and some recordings of these songs have been deposited with the Canadian Museum of Civilization as well as with the Montreal City Library. Massicotte collected some 5000 versions of songs and stories. At the same time he published many articles and works on the traditions and customs and the anecdotal history of Quebec. The high regard in which he was held won him election as a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1920; in 1936 he was awarded the society's Tyrrell gold medal. With Barbeau he collaborated in the first Soirées du bon vieux temps in 1919, and the following year he organized the Soirées de famille for which Ovila Légaré was host at the Monument national. A street in Montreal was named after Massicotte in 1950.

Writings

'Les Théâtres et lieux d'amusements à Montréal pendant le XIXe siècle,' L'Annuaire théâtral, ed G.H. Robert (Montreal 1908)

'Le premier théâtre de Montréal,' BRH, vol 23, Dec 1917

- and Barbeau, Marius. 'Chants populaires du Canada,' JAF, vol 32, Jan-Mar 1919

'Une noce populaire il y a cinquante ans,' Proceedings and Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, vol 17 (Ottawa 1923)

'Auberges et cabarets d'autrefois,' ibid, vol 21 (Ottawa 1927)

'Hôtelleries, clubs et cafés à Montréal de 1760 à 1850,' ibid, vol 22 (Ottawa 1928)

'Quelques anciens pianos,' BRH, vol 37, Oct 1931

'Recherches historiques sur les spectacles à Montréal de 1760 à 1800,' Proceedings and Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, vol 26 (Ottawa 1932)

'Trois grands artistes,' 'La musique militaire sous le régime francais,' BRH, vol 39, Jan, Jul 1933

'Violons et luthiers,' ibid, vol 41, Apr 1935

- and Brassard, T.L. 'Les deux musiciens Braunies [sic],' ibid, vol 41 (Nov 1935)

'Brève histoire du Parc Sohmer,' Cahiers des Dix, 11, 1946

Also about 50 chansons published in Le Canard (1896-7)

A complete list of his published writings is given in Dictionnaire pratique des auteurs québécois by Réginald Hamel et al (Montreal 1976).

Maurault, Olivier. 'É.-Z. Massicotte,' Cahiers des Dix, 13, 1948

Morin, Victor. 'É.-Z. Massicotte (1867-1947),' Proceedings and Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, vol 42 (Ottawa 1948)