B I O
John Robertson COMPOSER
(Ernest) John Robertson (b. 1943) was born in New Zealand but is a longtime resident of Canada. His secondary school offered music as a full time subject, allowing Robertson to find his footing. Upon leaving school, he went into the insurance business where he spent his working life. Having emigrated to Canada in 1967, he took a 3 year course of private study in the mid-1970s with Dr. Sam Dolin at the RCM in Toronto. Continuing to compose, his entry in the 1987 Composer’s Competition sponsored by the Nepean (a suburb of Ottawa) Symphony won him his first major public performance.
Post retirement, he has concentrated on getting his work heard more broadly, now having his compositions played in Canada, USA, Mexico, Sweden, the U.K., the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Austria, Hungary, and China. In 2014, the Rusé Philharmonic (Bulgaria) gave two concerts of his music, and subsequently the State Opera Rusé commissioned an opera from him. Orpheus – a Masque premiered in 2015, with revivals in 2016 and 2017 when it was one of the test pieces in the Blue Danube Opera Conducting competition. A companion piece for Orpheus, Lady Jane — a dance piece with actors — appeared in 2017. This piece was seen in a new production in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, in August 2022 and repeated a month later.
His output covers most genres and five of his six symphonies have been recorded and released on Navona Records, along other works including concertos for trumpet and clarinet (2). He resides in Kingston, Ontario.
Orchestral Music
“Robertson’s compositions are heartbreakingly beautiful and wonderfully timeless” Darren Rae, Classical Music Review. “...the sound [is] among the best I’ve heard from any new recording this year” John J. Puccio, Amazon.com 5 out of 5 stars “Despite being a creation of high technical and musical sophistication, Robertson’s is, to it’s credit, never less than accessible.” “...is so strong, in fact, that it wouldn’t sound out of place next to any number of better-known classics in a leading orchestra’s concert programme.” Texturo “... Robertson’s music could easily find it’s way onto programs in the UK where it could perhaps give us another recording for comparison of this often wonderful music.”maestrosteve.xanga.com 4 out of 4 stars “This is music of our time yet steeped in tradition that should be a guiding light forward.” Jean-Yves Duperron Classical Music Sentinel “Tasty, tasteful stuff that has the openness to bring new genre listeners into the tent, this set is a gasser for any fan of instrumental music.” Midwestrecord “Robertson’s straightforward formal choices render all these compositions intuitively accessible, yet make no compromises in terms of technical and musical complexity, which remain sophisticated throughout.” Podomatic Inc. “I will say though that it seems a shame to me that with a composer of such obvious talent and stature as John Robertson in their midst that one or another of Canada’s major orchestras could not take up his works.” “... strongly recommended ” Jerry Dubins Fanfare Magazine (One of three reviews in the March/April 2018 issue)New Paragraph
CDs
New ParagraphMy 4 current CDs, each of which contains one of my first 3 symphonies along with other works, are available through Amazon, Spotify, and all other such outlets either in physical or download formats. The titles are: "Vallarta Suite", "Symphony #1", and "Virtuosity", and Symphonies 4 & 5 - which also contains the "Meditation: In Flanders Fields".
Orchestral works
6 Symphonies
Each symphony is in 3 movements and lasts approximately 30 minutes
Autumn Ramble
For single winds and strings. Duration 8'
Variations for small orchestra
Duration 18'
Overture for a musical comedy
Duration 11'
Serenade in G
Single winds, horn, and strings. 5 movements. Second movement Waltz my most performed piece. Duration 25'
The Death of Crowe
A rather sombre piece inspired by an episode in Timothy Findlay's novel "Not wanted on the voyage". Duration 9'
Salome dances
Essentially the 'Dance of the seven veils'. Duration 8'
Strut In - a March
An up-beat orchestral march. Duration 7'
Vallarta Suite
4 impressions of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Duration 24'
Suite for orchestra
4 movements in a light style - Fanfare, Waltz, Elegy, March. Duration 25'
Suite from the opera "Orpheus"
6 orchestral pieces. 111(each doubling related instrument)1 211 Sax, Harp, Perc, Strings. Duration 25'
Cyrano
Symphonic poem on the subject of Cyrano de Bergerac. Duration 8'
Concertante works
Hinemoa & Tutanekai (Flute and strings). Duration 10'
Maori legend from New Zealand.
Concerto for Clarinet and strings
3 joined movements. Quite virtuosic. Duration 22'
Concerto for Clarinet and small orchestra
3 movements Duration 15'
Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra
3 movements, somewhat Latin American in style. Duration 17'
Concerto for Oboe and small orchestra
3 movements Duration 20'
Tango Bulgariana (Alto flute and strings)
Duration 6'
Celebratory Music
Solo 'cello and orchestra. Quite virtuosic. Duration 5'
String orchestra works
Music for strings
String quartet, strings orchestra, and harp. Duration13'
Serenade
String orchestra. 3 movements. Duration 15'
Elegy for G
String orchestra. Duration 8'
Choral works
3 Choruses about music
SATB a capella. Music has charms, Orpheus with his lute, To music, to becalm his fever. Duration 3 -4' each
3 Animal songs
SSA and piano. Really for children's voices. The nightingale and the glowworm, Milk for the cat, The fox and the cat. Duration 3' each
6 Christmas carols
Unto us this day is born, Gentle Mary, Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, It came upon a midnight clear, Ring out!, There were shepherds abiding in the field. Original, not arrangements. SATB some a capella some with various accompaniments
A Shakespeare winter
SATB and piano. Conflation of 2 excerpts from Shakespeare. Duration 5'
The winter lakes
SATB a capella. Duration 4.5'
Stage works
Orpheus - a Masque
Opera in 6 scenes, text taken mainly from Shakespeare.. Mezzo-soprano, baritone, bass, chorus, and dancers. !!!(each doubling related instruments)1 alto sax 211 perc.harp strings. Duration 1 hour.
Lady Jane - a fable
Dance piece with two actors. Text by composer. A companion piece to the above. Orchestration same. Duration 40'
Chamber works
Adagio
Lyrical piece for B flat clarinet and piano. Duration 10'
Trio
Violin, viola, and 'cello. 3 movements. Duration 17'
Dance variations
B flat clarinet and piano. Each variation is a different dance type (e.g. Tango, Waltz). Duration 10'
3 string quartets
Not a set. Durations 15', 23', 25'
3 Nocturnes
Flute, oboe, bassoon and piano. Night threatening, Night tranquil, and Tropical night. Duration 11'
Concert piece
Violin, 'cello, and piano. Duration 13'
Sonata
B flat clarinet and piano. 3 movements. Duration 17'
Sonata
Violin and piano. 3 movements. Duration 24'
Sonata
'Cello and piano. 3 movements. Duration 23'
The miller of Dee variations
Wind quintet. Duration 7'
3 pieces for guitar
March, Lento, Vivace. Duration 10'
Quintet
Flute, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and piano 3 movements. Duration 16'
10 duos
Flute and B flat clarinet. Duration 3 - 4' each
10 more duos
Flute and B flat clarinet. Duration 3 - 4' each
Variations
2 flutes and 2 B flat clarinets. Duration 7'
3 Romances
B flat clarinet and piano. Duration 3' each
String Sextet
Duration 25'
Piano works
9 Preludes Op. 31
Short piano pieces averaging 3' each
Sonatina
3 movements. Duration 14'
9 Preludes Op. 51
Short piano pieces averaging 3' each
Many more short piano pieces ...
Songs
New Paragraph6 Songs Op. 13
Afterwards, Never seek to tell thy love, How sweet I roamed, At a window, Remember, A thing of beauty.Piano accompaniment. Duration c3' each
2 Songs Op. 19
Old age, Spring. Piano accompaniment. Duration 3' each
6 Songs to texts by Felicia Lamport
Furbearance, Organic matter, Petition for redress (1956), Minimal maxims, Lyric suitable for snarling upon awakening early on a certain Sunday in Autumn, Cook's detour.Short aphorisms. Piano accompaniment. Duration 10'
G A L L E R Y
Events
On 27th September Leaf Music of Halifax NS will release my album "Music for strings ... and winds" featuring members of the Budapest Symphony Orchestra performing my "Music for strings", "Partita for wind instruments", and a String Sextet. This recording will be available from the usual streaming services such as Spotify, Amazon, Presto Music etc.