Louis Lavater

Louis Isidore Lavater (2 March 1867 – 22 May 1953) was an Australian composer and author born in Victoria, of Swedish extraction.[1][2] He published more than a hundred musical works. He prepared musical settings of popular folklore by collaborating with well known Australian lyricists of his time, including Banjo Paterson,[3] Henry Lawson and Mary Gilmore.[4] He was a leading proponent of the Australian bush ballad as a vehicle for music education.[5][6] In 1938, Alfred Hill composed a musical setting of Lavater's verse Mopoke.[7] Lavater's words were also set by Australian composers Doctor Ruby Davis[8] and Fanny Turbayne.[9]

Lavater in 1917

Notoriety

Lavater was regarded as a gifted leader of music in rural Victoria.[10][11][12] He was fondly known for his direction of Liedertafel concerts held between 1890 and 1920.[13] Several Photographs of Louis Lavater in circulation show him as literate or musical.[14] An oil portrait of Louis Lavater by Rollo Thomson hangs in the State Library of Victoria.[15] Lavater composed ballet orchestrations which played abroad and arranged light opera.[16] His piano miniatures have been recorded by Larry Sitsky[17] The White Owl was revived in a 1961 recording by Jessica Dix and Arnold Matters.

Performances

Lavater's setting of The Old Bark Hut by Banjo Paterson was revived for a production of bush ballad musical Under the Coolibah Tree produced by the Waterside Worker's Union in 1956.[18]

Musical works
  • 1880 Queen Mab Waltz
  • 1891 Nina (Ballet)[19]
  • 1895 Australis (Australian Hymn words added by Gallipoli correspondent John Sandes)
  • 1921 Demon Wind (appeared in a musical play Laughing Murra)
  • 1922 Dance of the Saplings
  • 1924 Awakening – Sonata in A major[20]
  • 1928 Canon in E flat[21][22]
  • 1932 Valse Lente
  • 1933 Meadow Clover (two part song based on his 1928 Canon)[23]
  • 1923 Hornpipe in G[24]
  • 1924 Valse capricieuse[25]
  • 1936 Aubade
  • 1936 By starlight – serenade for string and piano[26]
  • 1936 A summer night – SATB voices[27]
  • 1937 We Beseech Thee Almighty God
  • 1937 Twelve Preludes for Piano[28]
  • 1937 Trav'lin' down the Castlereagh (words by Banjo Paterson)[29]
  • 1937 The Old Bark Hut (words by Banjo Paterson)[18]

Books
  • 1917 A Lover's Ephemeris[30]
  • 1922 This Green Mortality

References
  1. "Lavater, Louis (1867–1953) – People and organisations". Trove. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  2. Kent, Valerie. Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Australian Dictionary of Biography.
  3. Lavater, Louis; Paterson, A. B. (3 October 2017). "The old bark hut". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  4. Lavater, Louis; Gilmore, Mary, Dame (3 October 2017). "If I should make a garden". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  5. "MUSIC IN SCHOOLS". Nla.gov.au. 1 June 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  6. "Judge Hears Scottish Airs Instead of Handel". Nla.gov.au. 14 September 1937. p. 8. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  7. Hill, Alfred; Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Mopoke! : song". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  8. Davy, Ruby C; Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Australia fair and free : for mixed voices". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  9. Turbayne, Fanny; Lavater, Louis; Commission, Australian Broadcasting; Australia, Symphony (3 October 2017). "Variations". Nla.gov.au. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  10. "Fact and Rumour". Nla.gov.au. 19 April 1906. p. 24. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  11. "Entertainments COMPOSER-POET". Nla.gov.au. 26 March 1938. p. 15. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  12. "His music didn't pay". Nla.gov.au. 12 September 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  13. "COLAC FESTIVITIES". Nla.gov.au. 28 August 1897. p. 42. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  14. "DigiTool Stream Gateway Error". digital.slv.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  15. Thomson, Olive Rollo (3 October 2017). "Louis Lavater". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  16. "THE BEGGAR'S OPERA STAGED". Nla.gov.au. 22 May 1939. p. 13. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  17. "CD: Retrospect : pre-war Australian piano miniatures / Larry Sitsky, piano. [1995] : Product : Australian Music Centre". Australianmusiccentre.com.au. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  18. "A SHOW TO TAKE YOUR FRIENDS TO". Nla.gov.au. 24 October 1956. p. 8. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  19. "The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 – 1954)". Nla.gov.au. 18 July 1891. p. 12. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  20. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Sonata in A major : The awakening". [Melbourne? : s.l. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  21. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Hornpipe in G : piano solo". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  23. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Meadow-clover : two-part canon for equal voices". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  24. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Three waltz moods : for piano". Sydney : Chappel & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  25. "Valse capricieuse (solo piano) by Louis Lavater : Work : Australian Music Centre". Australianmusiccentre.com.au. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  26. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "By starlight : serenade for violin, or viola, or 'cello and pianoforte". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  27. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "A summer night : for mixed voices : S.A.T.B". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  28. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Twelve preludes for piano". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  29. Lavater, Louis; Paterson, A. B. (3 October 2017). "Trav'lin' down the Castlereagh : song". Melbourne : Allan. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  30. Louis Lavater (3 October 2017). "A lover's ephemeris / by Louis Lavater". Endacott. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via search.slv.vic.gov.au.
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