Louis Lavater

Louis Isidore Lavater (2 March 1867 – 22 May 1953) was an Australian composer and author born in Victoria, of Swiss-Swedish extraction.[1][2]

Louis Lavater in c.1917

He published more than a hundred musical works, beginning in 1880 with the waltz Queen Mab which The Age reviewed in 1885 as that of "a musical talent of a respectable order," though noting that it was the earlier "work of a beginner."[3]

He prepared musical settings of popular folklore by collaborating with well known Australian lyricists of his time, including Banjo Paterson,[4] Henry Lawson and Mary Gilmore.[5] He was a leading proponent of the Australian bush ballad as a vehicle for music education.[6][7] In 1938, Alfred Hill composed a musical setting of Lavater's verse Mopoke.[8] Lavater's words were also set by Australian composers Doctor Ruby Davy[9] and Fanny Turbayne.[10]

Early life

Born in St Kilda, Melbourne, Lavater was the eldest child of Emily Challinor (née Swindells) and Swiss-born George Theodore Adams Lavater, a civil servant who had migrated to Victoria after the 1851 gold rush. He attended Grammar School in St Kilda and Wesley College. At the University of Melbourne from 1884 he began to study medicine. He later changed his enrolment to study music though did not finish the degree.[2] While at the University Lavater joined the bohemian Buonarotti Club (1883-87), was active in its musical section and accompanied the artists on their painting camps.[11] Much later he recalled lively experiences with the Club in a 1929 Argus interview.[12]

Notability

Lavater was regarded as a gifted leader of music in rural Victoria.[17][18][19] He was fondly known for his direction of Liedertafel concerts held between 1890 and 1920.[20]

In 1927 Gertrude Hart and Bernard Cronin founded the Society of Australian Authors. Cronin was president and Lavater and Hart were vice-presidents.[21] Its aim was to raise the profile of Australian authors across Australia and also to welcome visiting writers.[22] Cronin thought that the society became too political and it ceased to operate in 1936.[23]

An oil portrait of Louis Lavater by Rollo Thomson hangs in the State Library of Victoria.[24] Lavater composed ballet orchestrations which played abroad and arranged light opera.[25]

His piano miniatures have been recorded by Larry Sitsky[26] 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.[27]

Musical works
  • 1880 Queen Mab Waltz[3]
  • 1891 Nina (Ballet)[28]
  • 1895 Australis (Australian Hymn words added by Gallipoli correspondent John Sandes)
  • 1921 Demon Wind (appeared in a 1921 musical play Laughing Murra by Euphemia Coulson Davidson Nee Kidd[29])
  • 1922 Dance of the Saplings
  • 1924 Awakening – Sonata in A major[30]
  • 1928 Canon in E flat[31]
  • 1932 Valse Lente
  • 1933 Meadow Clover (two part song based on his 1928 Canon)[32]
  • 1923 Hornpipe in G[33]
  • 1924 Valse capricieuse[34]
  • 1936 Aubade
  • 1936 By starlight – serenade for string and piano[35]
  • 1936 A summer night – SATB voices[36]
  • 1937 We Beseech Thee Almighty God
  • 1937 Twelve Preludes for Piano[37]
  • 1937 Trav'lin' down the Castlereagh (words by Banjo Paterson)[38]
  • 1937 The Old Bark Hut (words by Banjo Paterson)[27]

Books
  • 1917 A Lover's Ephemeris[39]
  • 1922 This Green Mortality

References
  1. "Lavater, Louis (1867–1953) – People and organisations". Trove. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  2. Kent, Valerie (1986). "Lavater, Louis Isidore (1867–1953)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 10. Melbourne University Press.
  3. "NEW MUSIC". Argus. 3 November 1885. p. 9. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  4. Lavater, Louis; Paterson, A. B. (3 October 2017). "The old bark hut". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  5. Lavater, Louis; Gilmore, Mary, Dame (3 October 2017). "If I should make a garden". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "Music in Schools". Nla.gov.au. 1 June 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  7. "Judge Hears Scottish Airs Instead of Handel". Nla.gov.au. 14 September 1937. p. 8. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  8. Hill, Alfred; Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). Mopoke! : song. Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  9. Davy, Ruby C; Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Australia fair and free : for mixed voices". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  10. Turbayne, Fanny; Lavater, Louis; Commission, Australian Broadcasting; Australia, Symphony (3 October 2017). "Variations". Nla.gov.au. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  11. Mead, Stephen F. (December 2011). "The Search for Artistic Professionalism in Melbourne: the activities of the Buonarotti Club, 1883 -1887". The Latrobe Journal. 88.
  12. Lawson, L. T. (10 August 1929). "The Argus Camera Supplement: The Buonarotti Club, Bohemians of the 'Eighties. Memories of Noted Artists". The Argus. p. 3. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  13. Lavater, Louis, By starlight [music] : serenade for violin, or viola, or 'cello and pianoforte / by Louis Lavater, Allan & Co
  14. "Friday 24th February 1936 Radio Program". Wireless Weekly. Wireless Press. 24 February 1936. p. 38 – via Trove.
  15. Lavater, Louis (1936), Dawn song [music] : (Aubade) for violin (or cello) and piano / Louis Lavater, Allan & Co
  16. "Valse lente [music] : For violin and pianoforte".
  17. "Fact and Rumour". Nla.gov.au. 19 April 1906. p. 24. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  18. "Entertainments Composer-Poet". Nla.gov.au. 26 March 1938. p. 15. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  19. "His music didn't pay". Nla.gov.au. 12 September 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  20. "Colac Festivities". Nla.gov.au. 28 August 1897. p. 42. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  21. "Australian Authors". The Advertiser. South Australia. 15 November 1928. p. 12. Retrieved 10 February 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. "A Society of Authors", The Bulletin, John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 49 (2515): 2, 25 April 1928, ISSN 0007-4039
  23. O'Neill, Sally, "Cronin, Bernard Charles (1884–1968)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 10 February 2022, In 1920, with Gertrude Hart, Cronin had founded the Old Derelicts' Club for struggling authors and artists. Out of this in 1927 came the Society of Australian Authors; as first president in 1928-34, Cronin strove to improve conditions and win recognition for writers.
  24. Thomson, Olive Rollo (3 October 2017). "Louis Lavater". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  25. "THE BEGGAR'S OPERA STAGED". Nla.gov.au. 22 May 1939. p. 13. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  26. "CD: Retrospect : pre-war Australian piano miniatures / Larry Sitsky, piano. [1995] : Product : Australian Music Centre". Australianmusiccentre.com.au. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  27. "A SHOW TO TAKE YOUR FRIENDS TO". Nla.gov.au. 24 October 1956. p. 8. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  28. "The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 – 1954)". Nla.gov.au. 18 July 1891. p. 12. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  29. "ITEMS OF INTEREST". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 23, 477. Victoria, Australia. 1 November 1921. p. 3. Retrieved 28 May 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  30. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Sonata in A major : The awakening". [Melbourne? : s.l. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  31. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Hornpipe in G : piano solo". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  32. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Meadow-clover : two-part canon for equal voices". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  33. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Three waltz moods : for piano". Sydney : Chappel & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  34. "Valse capricieuse (solo piano) by Louis Lavater : Work : Australian Music Centre". Australianmusiccentre.com.au. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  35. 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.
  36. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "A summer night : for mixed voices : S.A.T.B". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  37. Lavater, Louis (3 October 2017). "Twelve preludes for piano". Melbourne : Allan & Co. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  38. Lavater, Louis; Paterson, A. B. (3 October 2017). "Trav'lin' down the Castlereagh : song". Melbourne : Allan. Retrieved 3 October 2017 – via Trove.
  39. 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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