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Hétu, Jacques (b. August 8, 1938, Trois-Rivières, Québec). Esteemed Canadian composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and vocal works that have been performed throughout the world.
Prof. Hétu studied Gregorian chant, harmony and piano with Jules Martel and others at the University of Ottawa in 1955–56 and composition and counterpoint with Clermont Pépin, fugue with Jean Papineau-Couture and harmony with Isabelle Delorme at the Conservatoire de Musique et d'Art Dramatique de Montréal from 1956–61, where he earned a premier prix in composition. He also studied composition with Lukas Foss at Tanglewood in 1959 and with Henri Dutilleux at the École Normale de Musique de Paris from 1961–63, where he earned the Diplôme d'Excellence en Composition, as well as analysis with Olivier Messiaen at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in 1962–63.
Among his honors are the Prix de Composition of the Festival du Québec (1961, for Toccata, Op. 1), the Prix d'Europe (1961), which enabled his studies in France, and the Victor M. Lynch-Staunton Award from the Canada Council for the Arts (1978). He was also elected a member of the Royal Society of Canada (1989) and made an Officer of the Order of Canada (2001). Most recently, he received the Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year in the Large Ensemble category (2004, for a CBC Records CD of four of his concerti). Numerous orchestras, organizations and soloists have commissioned his music, including clarinettist James Campbell, CBC, flautist Robert Cram, cellist Yegor Dyachkov, Éditions Doberman-Yppan, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, pianists André Laplante and Robert Silverman, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, and the Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-Rivières. Guitarist Alvaro Pierri, Radio-Canada, bass Joseph Rouleau, the Société de Musique Contemporaine du Québec, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, trombonist Alain Trudel, and the Vancouver New Music Society have also commissioned him.
He taught analysis and composition at the Université Laval in Québec City from 1963–77, composition at the Université de Montréal in 1972–73 and 1978–79 and analysis at the Université du Québec à Montréal from 1979–2000.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail address: hetu.jacques@uqam.ca
Street address: Prof. Jacques Hétu, 99 388e Ave., St.-Hippolyte, QC J8A 3A2, Canada
Telephone: 450 563 1770
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS
STAGE: Le prix (1 act opera, libretto by Yves Beauchemin), 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, 3 tenors, baritone, bass, mixed chorus, orchestra, Op. 53, 1992
ORCHESTRAL: Symphonie pour cordes, string orchestra, Op. 2, 1959; Adagio et Rondo, string orchestra, Op. 3 No. 1a, 1960 (version of string quartet work); Symphonie No. 2, large orchestra, Op. 4, 1961; Prélude, large orchestra, Op. 5, 1961; Rondo, cello, string orchestra, Op. 9, 1967; Double Concerto, violin, piano, small orchestra, Op. 12, 1967; L'Apocalypse, large orchestra, Op. 14, 1967; Concerto, piano, large orchestra, Op. 15, 1969; Passacaille, large orchestra, Op. 17, 1970; Symphonie No. 3, Op. 18, 1971; Fantaisie, piano, large orchestra, Op. 21, 1973; Antinomie, Op. 23, 1977; Concerto, bassoon, small orchestra, Op. 31, 1979 (also version of second movement as Élégie, bassoon, piano, Op. 31a); Mirages, Op. 34, 1981; Concerto, clarinet, small orchestra, Op. 37, 1983; Symphonie concertante, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, string orchestra, Op. 40, 1986; Concerto, trumpet, small orchestra, Op. 43, 1987 (also version for trumpet, symphonic band, Op. 43a, 1994); Images de la Révolution, large orchestra, Op. 44, 1988; Poème, string orchestra, Op. 47, 1989; Concerto, ondes Martenot, orchestra, Op. 49, 1990; Concerto, flute, small orchestra, Op. 51, 1991; Le Tombeau de Nelligan, large orchestra, Op. 52, 1992; Symphonie No. 4, Op. 55, 1993; Concerto, guitar, string orchestra, Op. 56, 1994; Concerto, trombone, orchestra, Op. 57, 1995; Concerto, marimba (+ vibraphone), string orchestra, Op. 61, 1997; Sérénade héroïque, French horn, large orchestra, Op. 62, 1998; Concerto No. 2, piano, orchestra, Op. 64, 1999; Concerto, organ, large orchestra, Op. 68, 2001; Triple Concerto, violin, cello, piano, large orchestra, Op. 69, 2002; Concerto, oboe (+ English horn), large orchestra, Op. 72, 2004; Variations concertantes, large orchestra, Op. 74, 2005; Concerto, viola, small orchestra, Op. 75, 2006; Légendes, large orchestra, Op. 76, 2007; Concerto, 2 amplified guitars, small orchestra, Op. 77, 2007; Sur les rives du Saint-Maurice, Op. 78, 2008; Variations sur un thème de Mozart, 3 pianos, orchestra, Op. 79, 2008
CHAMBER MUSIC: Adagio et Rondo, string quartet, Op. 3 No. 1, 1960 (also version for string orchestra, Op. 3 No. 1a); Trio, flute, oboe, harpsichord, Op. 3 No. 2, 1960; Quatre Pièces, flute, piano, Op. 10, 1965; Variations pour violon seul, violin, Op. 11, 1967 (also versions as Variations pour alto seul, viola, Op. 11a, 1967; Variations pour violoncelle seul, cello, Op. 11b, 1967); Quintette pour instruments à vent, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, Op. 13, 1967; Quatre Miniatures, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 1967; Cycle, piano, ensemble (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, French horn, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones), Op. 16, 1969; Quatuor à cordes, string quartet, Op. 19, 1972; Rondo varié, violin, Op. 25, 1977; Nocturne, clarinet, piano, Op. 26, 1977; Aria, flute, piano, Op. 27, 1977; Incantation, oboe, piano, Op. 28, 1978; Lied, French horn, piano, Op. 29, 1978; Élégie, bassoon, piano, Op. 31a, 1979 (version of second movement of Concerto, Op. 31); Suite, guitar, Op. 41, 1986; Sérénade, flute, string quartet, Op. 45, 1988; Fanfare pour Lanaudière, 4 French horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, 1989 (also version as Petite Fanfare pour Lanaudière, French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, 1989); Quatuor à cordes No. 2, string quartet, Op. 50, 1991; Scherzo, string quartet, Op. 54, 1992; Sonate pour violon et piano, Op. 58, 1996; Sonate pour 13 instruments, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, harp, violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano, harpsichord, Op. 60, 1996; Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, Op. 63, 1998; Fanfare pour une fête, 4 French horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, 2000; Fantaisie sur le nom de Bach, flute, Op. 67, 2001; Sextuor à cordes, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 celli, Op. 71, 2004; Trio, clarinet, cello, piano, Op. 73, 2005
CHORAL: Les Djinns (text by Victor Hugo), small mixed chorus (24–32 voices), large mixed chorus (80–120 voices), piano, 6 percussion, Op. 22, 1975; Missa pro trecentesimo anno (text from the Mass), mixed chorus, organ, orchestra, Op. 38, 1985 (some sections may be performed separately as Quatre Interludes, organ, Op. 38a); Les illusions fanées (text by Émile Nelligan), mixed chorus, Op. 46, 1988; Passage (text by the composer), mixed chorus, Op. 65, 1999; Hear my prayer, O Lord (text from Psalm 102), mixed chorus, Op. 66, 2000
VOCAL: Les clartés de la nuit (text by Émile Nelligan), soprano, piano, Op. 20, 1972 (also version for soprano, orchestra, Op. 20a, 1986); Les abîmes du rêve (text by Émile Nelligan), bass, large orchestra, Op. 36, 1982
PIANO: Prélude en fa mineur, 1956; Toccata, Op. 1, 1959; Sonate pour deux pianos, Op. 6, 1962; Petite Suite, Op. 7, 1962; Variations pour piano, Op. 8, 1964; Prélude et Danse, Op. 24, 1977; Ballade, Op. 30, 1978; Sonate pour piano, Op. 35, 1984; Fantaisie, Op. 59, 1996; Impromptu, Op. 70, 2003
ORGAN: Quatre Interludes, Op. 38a, 1985 (sections of Missa pro trecentesimo anno; may be performed separately); Variations pour orgue, Op. 42, 1986
(Last updated on August 14, 2008)
