Jacques Hétu (1938-2010) is one of the most widely performed Canadian composers, and several of Canada’s leading soloists have performed his works on tours in Canada and abroad.[1] On May 22nd, 1999, Hétu agreed to meet with guitarist Patrick Kearney to discuss Suite pour guitare, Op. 41. The intention was to review Kearney’s interpretation in preparation of Kearney’s Stringendo album (2001).[2] Filmed at Hétu’s home in Montreal, this one-hour video offers valuable insight into Hétu’s understanding of the guitar. I have transcribed an unreleased video masterclass between guitarist Patrick Kearney and composer Jacques Hétu. I will use sections of this transcription to inform a more accurate interpretation of Hétu's Suite pour guitare, Op. 41. The purpose of this document is to synthesize and present research by Michael Dias, Andrie Burdeti, and others, alongside sections of my translated transcript of the masterclass video to develop a broader understanding of the composer’s musical intentions and compositional process. I will provide some historical context of Op. 41, and commentary from Hétu about what he believes characterizes and influences his musical language and compositional process.
Published in 1987 by Doberman-Yppan Editions, Suite pour guitare, Op.41, is Jacques Hétu’s first work for solo guitar. The piece was commissioned with the aid of a grant from the Canada Council and with the support of guitarist Alvarro Pierri (b.1953).[3] Pierri played a crucial role in developing Hétu's understanding of the limitations of the classical guitar as well as developing his musical language on the instrument. Dias states, “Hétu engaged in research to acquaint himself with the guitar and its possibilities for his own musical language. Pierri helped guide Hétu in his research: not only did he give him technical advice but also introduced him to repertoire from the classical guitar canon upon which to model his own guitar writing.”[4] Although Hétu had never written a piece for classical guitar, he spent three weeks familiarizing himself with the instrument and composed the piece in one week.[5] Pierri assisted Hétu in finalising a performance edition and premiered the Suite at the 1986 Festival International de Tarbes in France.[6]
Hétu described his own musical language as integrating “neo-classical forms and neo-romantic effects in a musical language using 20th-century techniques.”[7] Hétu states,
I am first and foremost a melodist… I always begin a new composition with a melodic idea, establishing that before thinking about rhythm or harmony. Melody is the most important element of my style. I see myself as basically a lyrical composer… When I write a multimovement work (usually in three movements- three has a naturalness about it that I am drawn to). I start with the slow middle movement and work outward from there. At this point in time, I am writing near the tonal system, but not in it.[8]
Dias claims, “it can be said that often Hétu’s primary step in writing a movement of the Suite was to compose fragmentary material, exploring motivic and thematic possibilities (upon which he may base a movement or section of a movement).”[9]
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