Pierre-Olivier Lyonnais

Pierre-Olivier Lyonnais, (Bossu or Bossue, dit Lyonnais). String-instrument maker, b Quebec City 12 Jul 1798, d there 8 Sep 1860. A roofer by trade, he suffered a fall ca 1820 which left him disabled.
Pierre-Olivier Lyonnais, (Bossu or Bossue, dit Lyonnais). String-instrument maker, b Quebec City 12 Jul 1798, d there 8 Sep 1860. A roofer by trade, he suffered a fall ca 1820 which left him disabled.

Lyonnais, Pierre-Olivier

Pierre-Olivier Lyonnais, (Bossu or Bossue, dit Lyonnais). String-instrument maker, b Quebec City 12 Jul 1798, d there 8 Sep 1860. A roofer by trade, he suffered a fall ca 1820 which left him disabled. Since he had to support his parents, he made small carvings until ca 1825, when he took up violin making, probably at the instigation of Adam Joseph Schott, a bandmaster stationed in Quebec City. One of the first makers of string instruments in that city, Lyonnais is said to have built more than 80 violins, violas, and cellos, assisted for some dozen years by his nephew Joseph.

See also Roch Lyonnais and LéonLyonnais (his grandnephews); and Cyrille-Roch Lyonnais (his great-grandnephew).

Further Reading

  • Lyonnais, A.G. Généalogie de la famille Lyonnais (Ottawa 1901)

    LeVasseur, Nazaire. 'Musique et musiciens à Québec,' La Musique, vols 1, 2, 1919, 1920

    - Réminiscences d'Antan (Quebec City 1926)

    Massicotte, Édouard-Z. 'Violons et luthiers,' BRH, vol 41, Apr 1935

    Royer, Henri. 'Lutherie à Québec,' R Saint-Grégoire, Mar 1951

    - 'Mosaïque québécoise,' Cahiers d'histoire, 13, 1961

    Émond, Vivianne. '"Musique et musiciens à Québec: souvenirs d'un amateur" de Nazaire LeVasseur (1848-1927): étude critique,' M MUS thesis, Laval University 1986