Goossens, Eugene 1893 - 1962
Author: Australian Music Centre
Last updated：January 1, 2010
Author: Australian Music Centre
Born May 26, 1893, Died June 13, 1962
Biography
Born in London. After studying at the Bruges Conservatory, he attended the Liverpool College of Music from 1904 to 1906, and then the Royal College of Music from 1907 to 1912, where he studied under Charles Villiers Stanford. After a brief period as a violinist with the Queen's Hall Orchestra, he turned to conducting. He conducted orchestral works and operas, served as an assistant to Thomas Beecham, and went on to conduct orchestras such as the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. From 1931 to 1946, he served as the conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
In 1946, Goossens visited Australia as a guest conductor for the ABC. The following year, in 1947, he was appointed Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Director of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music. While holding these two positions concurrently, Goossens dedicated himself to raising the standards of both the orchestra and the Conservatorium (his tenure, initially planned for only three years, continued until 1956). He promoted the performance of contemporary music, introducing works such as John Antill's ballet music Corroboree to Sydney audiences. He also worked to promote Australian music both domestically and internationally, performing works by young composers such as Felix Werder and Malcolm Williamson. At the Conservatorium, he staged opera productions including Pelléas et Mélisande, Boris Godunov, and Goossens' own work Judith, which marked Joan Sutherland's debut. Furthermore, he played a leading role in the campaign for the construction of the Sydney Opera House, and the current site, Bennelong Point, was chosen by him. He was awarded the Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur and was knighted in 1955.
However, in 1956, Goossens' career in Australia came to an end due to a scandal involving his attempt to import illegal items upon his return from a trip. He was forced to resign as Director of the Conservatorium and Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Soon after, he left Australia for England. In later years, it has been suspected that this scandal was orchestrated in some way.
Goossens continued his conducting activities in Europe, South America, and other regions, but his health deteriorated, and he passed away in 1962 at Hillingdon Hospital in Middlesex.
Compositions
Although Goossens rarely performed his own compositions, he left behind approximately 70 works. These include two operas, Judith and Don Juan de Mañara, an oratorio, several concertos, symphonic works, piano pieces, chamber music, and vocal works. Many unfinished works remain, including ballet compositions and a third opera.
Works(14)
Piano Solo (6)
pieces (5)
Various works (4)
Piano Ensemble (1)