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Song of the Carnival Wilson MacDonald |
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Wilson MacDonald was born in Cheapside, Ontario in 1880. His parents passions were poetry and music and this was instilled in him at a very young age. From the fifth grade, MacDonald wanted to be a poet. While studying at McMaster, Theodore Rand, his English teacher encouraged MacDonald to fulfill his life's ambition. After finishing university, he sold stereoscopic views and advertising saving money to support himself while he took time out to write poetry. MacDonald gave his first poetry recital in Newport, Rhode Island. This was followed by readings in Montreal and continued with a tour throughout western Canada. He also wrote an opera and plays while in Victoria and Vancouver. In Victoria he won local fame as an amateur actor and producer. While staying with friends in Vancouver, he wrote Song of the Carnival for the War Dance of the British Columbia Travellers' Association. At a meeting of the University Women's Club, he entertained the gathering with several of his own compositions. His first book of poetry, Songs of the Prairie Land was published in 1918. As well as writing many successful published collections of poetry, Macdonald has also written over fifty musical pieces including both operas and songs. For his operas, he wrote not only the whole composition but also the scenery,dances and costumes. MacDonald was also a skilled athlete in tennis, hocky, soccer and lacrosse, and continued to skate and play tennis at 80 years of age. He especially loved tennis and even wrote a song entitled Tennis. He died in 1967 at the age of 87.
The War Dance of the British Columbia Commercial Travellers' Association was a four-day sponsored
fundraiser in aid of the Red Cross Material Fund, return of soldiers from WWI, the Canadian Patriotic Fund,
and the Royal Naval Service Fund. For weeks, the salesmen of the city devoted their time to the work of the War Dance
and provided entertainment such a singing, dancing (Irish jig and hornpipe), fireworks, acts by the Human Fly
and ballooning assent with triple parachute jump. Miss Vancouver, Josie Siddons who appears on the cover of this song, was crowned at this event.
In the souvenir program for this event,Song of the Carnival was printed as text.
Composer MacDonald, Wilson, 1880-1967. Title Song of the carnival First line This is the day of the Dance of War Refrain Vancouver, Vancouver, child of the dancing sea Published [S.l.] : Western Specialty Ltd., ©1917. Pagination 4 p. Library of Congress B.C. Commercial Travellers' War Dance and Carnival--Songs and music Collection scanned Other collections |
