Guillaume Couture

Guillaume Couture

Guillaume Couture, teacher, choirmaster, composer (b at Montréal 23 Oct 1851; d there 15 Jan 1915), grandfather of Jean PAPINEAU-COUTURE. One of Canada's music pioneers, Couture studied in Paris with Romain Bussine and Théodore Dubois, and in 1875 his Rêverie opus 2 was performed in concert, along with works by Duparc, Fauré and Franck. On his return to Montréal that year, he began teaching and also became a music critic for La Minerve. Léo-Paul MORIN and Rodolphe PLAMONDON were among his pupils. Renowned for his teaching skill, Couture returned to Paris in 1876 and became choirmaster at Ste-Clotilde church with organists César Franck and Charles Bordes. Late in 1877 he returned to Canada and in 1894 founded the Montréal Symphony Orchestra. He was its director 1894-96. Between 1907 and 1909 he composed his major work, the oratorio Jean le Précurseur.