Jean Lallemand

Lallemand, Jean

Jean (Clovis) Lallemand. Industrialist, philanthropist, patron of the arts, b Montreal 19 Dec 1898, d there 17 Nov 1987; BA (Montreal) 1919. His mother, an excellent pianist, was the sister of Arthur Laurendeau. Though Lallemand never studied music, he was extremely interested in the musical life of his city and was an active patron. His name appeared frequently in printed programs for having assisted young musicians in their studies or debuts or having contributed to the support of musical and social organizations. In 1936 he established a $500 composition prize bearing his name. Henri Miro won it with Scènes mauresques, as did Hector Gratton (Légende, 1937), and Graham George (Variations on an Original Theme, 1938). Lallemand founded the Petite Maîtrise de Montréal (1938-44) with Alfred Bernier.

In 1939 Roland Leduc, the cellist, organized the Jean Lallemand Quartet. (Maurice Onderet was first violin, and two members of the recently dissolved Montreal String Quartet, Annette Lasalle-Leduc and Lucien Robert, were second violin and viola). The quartet performed mainly for the CBC but gave a public recital 20 Feb 1940 at the École supérieure de musique d'Outremont (École Vincent-d'Indy) and another 29 April at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

Lallemand participated in the founding and development of the MSO, of which he was made honorary president for life. He was honorary treasurer 1940-75 of the Sarah Fischer Concerts, vice-president 1942-69 of the Opera Guild, and president 1954-69 of the Society of Canadian Music. Lallemand received the Gold Medal of the Alliance française and in 1968 was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He received a Canadian Music Council award in 1979.

Lallemand always respected the artistic freedom of those who benefited from his remarkably varied financial assistance.