Welford Russell (30 October 1900 – 1975) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

based in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Ontario. He is particularly remembered for his output of choral works.James Neufeld.
Lois Marshall: A Biography
'. Dundurn; 5 April 2010. . p. 232.

Early life and education

Russell was born in

Neepawa, Manitoba Neepawa is a town in Manitoba, Canada located on the Yellowhead Highway at the intersection with Highway 5. its population was 5,685. Neepawa was incorporated as a town in 1883. It is bordered by the Municipality of North Cypress – Langford and ...

. He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1925. He studied the

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

in Ireland and pursued studies in music composition with

Godfrey Ridout Godfrey Ridout (6 May 1918 in Toronto – 24 November 1984 in Toronto) was a Canadians, Canadian composer, conductor, music educator, and writer. Life and career Ridout was a descendant of Thomas Ridout (politician), Thomas Ridout, the first Su ...

and singing with

Weldon Kilburn Weldon may refer to: Places In Canada: * Weldon, Saskatchewan In England: * Weldon, Northamptonshire * Weldon, Northumberland In the United States: * Weldon, Arkansas * Weldon, California * Weldon, Illinois * Weldon, Iowa * Weldon, North Carol ...

at the Toronto Conservatory of Music.

Career

Russell worked as a

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

and was a medical missionary in India from 1925 to 1941. He left during World War II to serve in a medical corps.Grace Lane.
Brief halt at mile "50": a half century of church union
'. United Church Pub. House; 1974. p. 49. He pursued musical activities in his spare time. He published a ''Stabat mater'' and eight individual choral pieces, of which his part-song ''Who Is at My Window Who?'' has been widely performed. The song was also recorded by the Festival Singers of Canada. He also produced a number of

anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...

s and

motet In Western classical music, a motet is mainly a vocal musical composition, of highly diverse form and style, from high medieval music to the present. The motet was one of the pre-eminent polyphonic forms of Renaissance music. According to Margar ...

s which remain unpublished. He wrote a number of art songs, two of which, ''The Conqueror'' and ''Farewell to Arms'', were premiered by

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

David Mills.

Lois Marshall Lois Catherine Marshall, CC (January 29, 1924 – February 19, 1997) was a Canadian soprano. Her husband, Weldon Kilburn, had been her early coach and piano accompanist. Early life and studies; awards Born in Toronto, Ontario, Marshall "began ...

recorded several of his songs for CBC/Radio Canada in 1969 (RCI 333/SM 101). After his death in 1975, his papers were collected at the National Archives in Ottawa."Welford Russell fonds."
''Music Archives'' at the National Archives of Canada.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Welford 1900 births 1975 deaths Canadian male composers Canadian surgeons The Royal Conservatory of Music alumni People from Neepawa, Manitoba 20th-century Canadian physicians 20th-century Canadian composers 20th-century Canadian male musicians 20th-century surgeons