Gerard Victory

Thomas Joseph Gerard Victory (24 December 1921 – 14 March 1995) was a prolific Irish composer. He wrote over two hundred works across many genres and styles, including tonal, serial, aleatoric and electroacoustic music.[1][2]

Gerard Victory
Birth nameThomas Gerard Joseph Victory
Born(1921-12-24)24 December 1921
OriginDublin, Ireland
Died14 March 1995(1995-03-14) (aged 73)
Dublin, Ireland
Occupation(s)Composer

Biography

Victory was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1921 the son of a shop keeper Thomas Victory and his wife, Delia (née Irwin).[3] After schooling, he read Celtic Studies at University College, Dublin and Music at Trinity College, Dublin, earning a doctorate in 1972.[1]

In April 1948 Victory married Geraldine Herity, they had five children: Alma, Fiona, Isolde, Raymond, and Alan.[3] Victory died in Dublin on 14 March 1995, aged 73. His papers are held in Trinity College and the Contemporary Music Centre hold a number of his scores.[3]

Career

In terms of composition, Victory was mostly self-taught, although he received some formal training from John F. Larchet, Alan Rawsthorne and Walter Beckett.[3] He also attended the "International Summer Courses for New Music" in Darmstadt, Germany.

In 1948 he was joint composer of music for a song in a play by Irish playwrightTeresa Deevy called Light Falling,[4] this was performed by the Abbey Experimental Theatre Company in the Peacock Theatre, Dublin. His work was also part of the music event in the art competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics.[5]

Victory's career was primarily in music administration, serving as Director of Music for Ireland's national broadcasting station RTÉ from 1967 to 1982.[6] He was a president of UNESCO's International Rostrum of Composers, a Fellow of the Royal Irish Academy of Music and a recipient of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and German Bundesverdienstkreuz.[3]

Legacy

The Gerard Victory Commission is a prize has been named in his honour awarded to the most promising individual composer.[7]

Selected works

Orchestral
1991   Eblana45'
1988Symphony No. 421'
1984Symphony No. 340'
1982Five Inventions14'
1981Six Epiphanies of the Author    30'
1980Three Irish Pictures12'
1973From Renoir's Workshop18'
1970Cyrano de Bergerac Overture7'
1966Favola di Notte13'

Ensemble
1990   Morescaviolin, cello, harp9'
1985Commedia2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba    13'
1982String Trio    violin, viola, cello22'

Solo piano
1979   Verona Preludes22'
1966Cinque Correlazioni10'
1965Three Masks9'
1962Prelude and Toccata    8'

Vocal
1994The Wooing of Éadaoinchildren's opera20'
1991ResponsibilitiesSATB choir13'
1991Seasons of Erosbaritone, piano25'
1989The Rendezvoussoloists, orchestra60'
1984Songs from LyonnesseSATB choir23'
1978Seven Songs of Experiencesoloists, SATB choir23'
1975-1981   Ultima Rerumsoloists, two choirs, orchestra    82'
1975Cinq Chansons de Rimbaud    soprano, piano18'
1970The Magic Trumpetspeaker, ensemble15'
1968Civitas Novasoloists, SATB choir, organ12'
1967Kriegsliedertenor, SATB choir, trumpet, percussion    14'
1962Le Petit Cerfsoprano, SATB choir6'

Operas
1972Eloise and Abelardopera
1970Chattertonopera
1964The Music hath Mischiefopera
1956Iomrall Aithneopera
1953An fear a phós balbhánopera
1949Once upon a Moonopera
1944Nitaopera

Band
1985   Marche Bizarre    3'

Mixed media
1973-1975   Processus    mixed choir, brass, percussion, pianos, tape    14'

Recordings
  • Three Irish Pictures, performed by RTÉ Sinfonietta, Proinseas Ó Duinn (cond.), on Marco Polo 8.223804 (CD, 1996).
  • Ultima Rerum, performed by Virginia Kerr (S), Bernadette Greevy (Mez), Adrian Thompson (T), Alan Opie (Bar), RTÉ Philharmonic Choir, National Chamber Choir, Cór na nÓg, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Colman Pearce (cond.), on: Marco Polo 8.223532-3 (CD, 1997).
  • An Old Woman of the Roads, performed by Bernadette Greevy (Mez) and Hugh Tinney (pf), on: Marco Polo 8.225098 (CD, 1998).
  • Revel in Reel Time, performed by RTÉ Concert Orchestra, on: Celtic Collections CCD 135 (CD, 1999).
  • Songs from Lyonnesse, performed by National Chamber Choir of Ireland, Colin Mawby (cond.), on: Black Box BBM 1030 (CD, 2000).
  • Moresca, performed by Geraldine O'Doherty (hp), David O'Doherty (vn), Moya O'Grady (vc), on: Absolute Music [no label code] (CD, 2009).
  • Prelude and Toccata, performed by Hugh Tinney, on: RTÉ lyric fm CD 153 (CD, 2016).

References
  1. Klein, Axel (2001). Irish Classical Recordings: A Discography of Irish Art Music. Westport, US: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 182. ISBN 9780313317422.
  2. Strimple, Nick (2005). Choral Music in the Twentieth Century. North Devon: Amadeus Press. p. 95. ISBN 9781574673784.
  3. Ryan, Joseph J. "Victory (Thomas Joseph) Gerard". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Cambridge University Press. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  4. "The Teresa Deevy Archive".
  5. "Gerard Victory". Olympedia. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  6. Contemporary Music Centre. "Gerard Victory (1921-1995)". Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  7. Unknown (2005). "Brigid's students work with national choir". Kilkenny People. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
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