Audio

Audio examples are available for selected titles. These may be digital transfers from 78-rpm discs in the Virtual Gramophone, new recordings made for this site, or examples from commercial releases. Most are extracts, not complete works.

  • Ottawa-born organist, composer and conductor Frances Macdonnell, BA, FRCO, first studied under organist and composer Godfrey Hewitt. She obtained her B.A. from Queen's University and later studied music in London, England. In 1980, she succeeded Dr. Hewitt as organist and choirmaster of Christ Church Anglican Cathedral in Ottawa, a position she held until her retirement in 2003. She toured the Western Arctic with the Cathedral Choir in 1989 and has given workshops for organists in Iqaluit. She has composed many choral works, some of which reflect the northern experience, and has made twelve recordings.

  • Baritone Garth Hampson was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and studied at the Regina Conservatory of Music. He was a member of the entertainment group, Plus Six in Song and sang as soloist with the Savoy Society of Ottawa. After 34 years in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, many of them as soloist with the RCMP Band, he retired from police work. He continues to perform, however, and is equally at home singing opera, operetta, music hall, or oratorio repertoire.

  • A native of Kingston, Ontario, Art has been a commercial pianist involved in virtually every aspect of popular music in Ottawa since the 1960s - dance bands, clubs, recordings, broadcasts and shows - and has accompanied such performers as Dinah Shore, Ginette Reno, Dionne Warwick and Rich Little. He has performed in Canada, the USA, Mexico and the Caribbean. In 2003, Art contributed to locally released recordings by Scott Poll, Tom Denison and Dick Maloney.  Art regularly performed at Ottawa's Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel, and in 2004 established a musical troupe called The Northwest Mounted.

Commercial releases

We are pleased to include excerpts from the following commercially released compact discs. We thank the recording companies for making these selections available for use on this site.

  • À la claire fontaine : music in Krieghoff's Quebec = La musique québécoise au temps de Krieghoff. - The Beckwith Ensemble. - Burlington, Ontario : Opening Day Recordings (ODR 9321), 2000

    John Beckwith, piano, harmonium; Lisa Lindo, soprano; Darryl Edwards, tenor; Dianne Aitken, flute, piccolo; David Greenberg, violin; Trevor Tureski, percussion

    Title Composer MP3
    Danse sauvage : Stadaconé Gagnon, Ernest MP3 778 KB
    Quadrille canadien Dessane, Antoine MP3 806 KB
    La Mère canadienne Dessane, Antoine MP3 871 KB
    Écho malin Blain de Saint-Aubin, E. arr. Dessane MP3 778 KB
    L'Alouette Sabatier, Charles W. MP3 904 KB
    La Huronne Lavigueur, Célestin MP3 824 KB

    For further information, please contact Opening Day Recordings.

  • "By a Canadian lady" : piano music, 1841-1997. - Nepean, Ontario : Carleton Sound, (CSCD-1006), 1999

    Elaine Keillor, piano

    Title Composer MP3
    Molto felice impromptu Hatton, Frances J. MP3 952 KB
    Dialogue from 'Trois equisses canadiennes' Harrison, Susie Frances MP3 944 KB

    For further information, please contact Carleton Sound.

  • Diana Gilchrist sings songs of Canada. - Nepean, Ontario : Carleton Sound (CSCD-1003), 1999

    Diana Gilchrist, soprano; Shelley Katz, piano

    Title Composer MP3
    Mädchenherz Lucas, Clarence MP3 954 KB
    L'absence Lavallée, Calixa MP3 968 KB
    When Johnny Canuck comes home Godfrey, H.H. MP3 926 KB

    For further information, please contact Carleton Sound.

  • Canadians at the keyboard. - Nepean, Ontario : Carleton Sound (CSCD-1008), 2000

    Elaine Keillor, piano.

    Title Composer MP3
    Magic bell polka Strathy, George MP3 939 KB
    Le Papillon Lavallée, Calixa MP3 915 KB
    Souffle parfumé Vézina, Joseph MP3 785 KB
    Tintamarre Anger, J. Humphrey MP3 924 KB

    For further information, please contact Carleton Sound.

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