Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)

Dorian Le Gallienne studied for a Diploma of Music at the Melbourne Conservatorium with A.E.H. Nickson. He continued his education in London, attending the Royal College of Music in 1938, where he studied under Herbert Howells and Arthur Benjamin. As the recipient of a British Council Commonwealth Jubilee Scholarship, Le Gallienne returned to England for study with Gordon Jacob in 1951, and composed his Concert Overture, Sinfonietta, and Symphony in E. He taught harmony at the Melbourne Conservatorium between 1954 and 1960.

Le Gallienne was a music critic for the Melbourne newspapers The Argus and The Age from 1950 until his death. In this position he not only reviewed professional concerts, but also regularly attended and reviewed concerts by amateur and semi-professional groups such as the Astra Choir, the South Melbourne Orchestra, the Oriana Madrigal Choir and the Camerata Society, with the aim of encouraging musicians in the community.

Le Gallienne was concerned at the low status of Australian composers and performers in Australia, and was able, through his position as critic, to draw attention to this problem by the publication of many articles and reviews. These articles seem to have had some effect on the broadening of concert programmes to include Australian music. He attacked the ABC for its lack of support for local music and musicians in the programming of subscription concerts (then being called "Celebrity" concerts).

Le Gallienne wrote a number of significant scores for stage and screen. His film music was an important part of the resurgence of the Australian film industry. His first film score, for The Prize (1959), won a bronze medal at the Venice Film Festival of 1960. The Dance of the Angels (1962), The Crucifixion (1962) and the children's TV series Sebastian and the Sausages demonstrate his eclectic style. He wrote incidental music for the ballet Voyageur, with choreography by Laurel Martyn, which premiered as part of the Ballet Guild's tenth anniversary season in 1956 at Melbourne University.

Whilst Le Gallienne has been criticised for maintaining an outmoded tonal idiom, his music has undergone critical re-evaluation. Towards the end of his life his career was largely marred by poor health, and he died leaving his second symphony incomplete. The highly regarded Dorian Le Gallienne Award was founded to commemorate his life in music.

Information from
Record number
1180971
Born
  • 19 April 1915, Melbourne, Vic.
Died
  • 27 July 1963, Melbourne, Vic.
Gender
male
Activities
  • composer
  • music teacher
  • music critic
  • musician
Honours
  • British Council Commonwealth Jubilee Scholarship, 1951
  • Venice Film Festival, bronze medal, film score for "The Prize", 1960
References

  • "Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)", Australian Music Centre Composer Biography, http://www.amcoz.com.au/comp/l/dlegall.htm, accessed 24 June 2004

  • Radic, Therese, "Le Gallienne, Dorian Leon Marlois", OCAM, pp. 333-334

  • Nickson, Noel, and Brownrigg, Jeff, "Le Gallienne, Dorian (Leon Marlois)", Grove Music Online ed. L Macy (accessed 24 June 2004), http://www.grovemusic.com

  • NLA Collections

Updated
24 June 2004
To cite this page
http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-ma-ANL%3AMA~1180971

Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)

Information from
Record number
000000102073
Born
  • 1915
Died
  • 1963
Updated
21 January 1993

Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)

Information from
Record number
000000111263
Other names
  • Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)
Born
  • 1915
Died
  • 1963
Updated
17 February 1994

Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)

Information from
Record number
000000204085
Other names
  • Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)
  • Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)
  • Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)
  • Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)
  • Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)
Born
  • 1915
Died
  • 1963
Updated
11 February 1994

Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)

Information from
Record number
000000218984
Born
  • 1915
Died
  • 1963
Updated
11 February 1994

Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)

Information from
Record number
000000218990
Born
  • 1915
Died
  • 1963
Updated
11 February 1994

Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)

Information from
Record number
000000239739
Born
  • 1915
Died
  • 1963
Updated
23 September 1998

Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)

Information from
Record number
000000272324
Born
  • 1915
Died
  • 1963
Updated
11 February 1994

Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)

Information from
Record number
000000385551
Born
  • 1915
Died
  • 1963
Updated
11 February 1994

Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)

Information from
Record number
000001180971
Other names
  • Dorian Le Gallienne (1915-1963)
  • Dorian Legallienne (1915-1963)
Born
  • 1915
Died
  • 1963
Updated
07 October 1988

Page 9 of 13 people and organisations