Posted on by Susan Reaney

Composer John Beckwith’s music at the Canadian Music Centre

JBCMC

James Reaney was fortunate to have composer John Beckwith set many of his poems to music: The Great Lakes Suite, A Message to Winnipeg, and Twelve Letters to a Small Town. Beckwith and Reaney also collaborated on longer operas Night-blooming Cereus, The Shivaree, and Crazy to Kill.

To listen to original recordings of Beckwith-Reaney works, visit the Canadian Music Centre‘s Composer Showcase.

James Reaney and John Beckwith, Summer 2003, in London, Ontario. Photo by Colleen Reaney.
James Reaney and John Beckwith, Summer 2003, in London, Ontario. Photo by Colleen Reaney.

Note from Susan Reaney: In his new memoir, Unheard Of: Memoirs of a Canadian Composer,  John Beckwith recalls his career as a composer, including his collaborations with James Reaney. The book is available from Wilfrid Laurier University Press.