Félix R. Bertrand

Félix R. (Routhier) Bertrand. Organist, pianist, choirmaster, composer, b Montreal 12 Oct 1909, d Moncton, NB, 28 Jul 1978; D MUS (Montreal) 1948. He was the grand-nephew of Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier, the author of the words to 'O Canada'. He began his studies at the Collège séraphique in Trois-Rivières, where he became organist at 12. He studied organ with Hervé Cloutier, Raoul Paquet, and Georges-Émile Tanguay, piano with Rose Goldblatt, and Gregorian chant with Jean-Noël Charbonneau, Dom Lucien David, and Dom Georges Mercure. In 1938 he was the official organist for the National Eucharistic Congress in Quebec. He held posts as organist at the cathedral in Chatham, NB, and 1948-50 at St-Louis-de-France in Montreal, and was organist-choirmaster 1961-74 at Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Cathedral in Moncton. Bertrand founded and directed the Choeur mixte de Montréal, and was organist for CBM, CBF, and CKAC.radio stations. He was a regular recording artist for Polydor, Victor, and (for several Tante Lucille albums) RCA Victor. He gave numerous recitals in Canada and the USA and inaugurated about 50 instruments. He was president of the Casavant Society of Montreal and president 1953-7 and secretary-archivist for the QMTA. His doctoral thesis, La Musique à la radio, was published in 1948 in Montreal. His compositions include a cantata (Peace, 1944), some motets, a string quartet, several vocal works, and numerous arrangements published by Le Parnasse musical.