Article

Leland Richardson

Published Online May 9, 2007

Last Edited December 15, 2013

(John) Leland Richardson. Businessman, carillonneur, b Toronto 4 Feb 1906, d Montreal 13 Sep 1969. A boyhood interest in bells led to studies 1927-9 at the Beiaardschool te Mechelen (Royal Flemish Carillon School) in Belgium with Jef Denyn.

Richardson, Leland

(John) Leland Richardson. Businessman, carillonneur, b Toronto 4 Feb 1906, d Montreal 13 Sep 1969. A boyhood interest in bells led to studies 1927-9 at the Beiaardschool te Mechelen (Royal Flemish Carillon School) in Belgium with Jef Denyn. He returned to Toronto and served 1929-31 as carillonneur at Metropolitan United Church. He gave his first concert at Soldiers' Tower, University of Toronto, 6 Apr 1930, and until his death continued to play the carillon there in weekly recitals and for New Year's Eve, Remembrance Day, and convocation ceremonies. He played twice-daily recitals during the summers 1960-9 at Rainbow Tower, Niagara Falls, and gave guest recitals on carillons throughout North America. Though employed as an insurance salesman, Richardson won fame for his avocation as a carillonneur. He developed a repertoire of more than 500 melodies - folksongs, hymns, pop songs, and classical pieces - played from memory and often in part improvised. See also Carillon.