Albertine Caron-Legris

Education

Albertine Caron-Legris’s musical education began at the convent of the Sœurs de l’Assomption de la Sainte Vierge in Louiseville, and at the Pensionnat Notre-Dame de l’Assomption in the municipality of Nicolet, Quebec. In Montreal, she studied piano with Romain-Octave Pelletier and later with Michel Hirvy, singing with Rodolphe Plamondon, and composition with Canon Élysée Panneton and Eugène Lapierre. In 1942, she also received a bachelor of music (composition) from the Conservatoire National de musique in Montreal.

Career Highlights

After her marriage in 1919, Albertine Caron-Legris began teaching in Montreal and giving piano recitals throughout Quebec. She was known mainly, however, as a composer. She wrote songs, piano music, and harmonizations of folksongs. Her best-known work is probably “La Berceuse de Donalda” (1947) featured on the CBC radio (later TV) program Un homme et son péché. (See also Claude-Henri Grignon.)

A Canada Council for the Arts grant made possible the publication of Mes Plus Belles Chansons (Montreal 1962), a collection of song melodies arranged for children to play on the piano. Other compositions included Poème pastorale for the piano (1948) and two songs — "Soir d'hiver" (1948) and "Ceux qui s'aiment sont toujours malheureux," (Le Passe-Temps, 1947).

Among singers who have performed Caron-Legris songs are Raoul Jobin, Nicholas Massue, Marthe Létourneau, Maureen Forrester, and Albert Viau. Her personal papers have been deposited at the National Library of Canada.