Lavater, Louis (1867-1953)

Also known as
Lavater, Louis
Lavater, Louis I. (Louis Isadore) (1867-1953)
Lavater, Louis Isidore (1867-1953)
Field of activity
choir leader; church musician; composer; literary critic; music critic; music teacher; poet; conductor; pianist; author; musician; arts administrator
Libraries Australia
http://nla.gov.au/anbd.aut-an36090078
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-783663

Biographies

LAVATER, LOUIS ISIDORE (1867-1953), composer, musician and writer, was born on 2 March 1867 at St Kilda, Melbourne, eldest child of George Theodore Adams Lavater, civil servant, and his English-born wife Emily Challinor, née Swindells. His Swiss-born father had migrated to Victoria after the 1851 gold rush. He was educated at St Kilda Grammar School, Wesley College and the University of Melbourne where in 1884 he began to study medicine, later abandoning it for music, a subject dearer to his heart although he did not complete his degree.

View the full record at Australian Dictionary of Biography

Louis Lavater wrote much orchestral, choral, and chamber music, several books of poetry, and numerous short stories. His father was G.T.A. (George Theodore Adams) Lavater, a civil servant who had a number of his own songs and dance music published in the nineteenth century. Having been schooled in Melbourne, Lavater enrolled in a medical degree at the University of Melbourne in 1884 but did not finish, instead following his love of music. From 1885 Lavater worked in a bank, and in 1888 was secretary to the orchestral committee of the Melbourne Centenial Exhibition. In 1892 he moved to Colac where he established a music school, produced operas, organised choirs, and operated a lending library of sheet music. He returned to Melbourne in 1914 and made a precarious living from music, assisted by a one-pound pension from the Commonwealth Literary Fund. Nevertheless, his reputation remained stable and he was often asked as a judge for musical competions. He became a member of many music, artistic and literary clubs and societies. He held executive positions of the British Music Society, Association of Music Teachers of Victoria, and Musical Society of Victoria. He was a driving force behind the establishment of the Guild of Australian Composers in 1935. Although Lavater was highly prolific in his output of compositions, many remained in manuscript form only and they never gained him any significant financial rewards. Among his works are a ballet suite, Nina, which was performed in London, and The Licentiate Pianist's Handbook. His vocal works include hymns for Australia, settings of his own poetry and others, including some by AB Paterson, and arrangements of operatic arias and hymn tunes. In lamenting his passing, the journal Canon regretted the absence of any national recognition for his promotion of arts in Australia.

Resources for Louis Lavater

Resources by Louis Lavater (145)

  1. On a river bank at night / by Louis Lavater; with portrait by Harry Hastings Pearce
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Book : 1953 ]
    At 7 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 30.008)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 30.008)

  2. Papers
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Unpublished : 1880-1953 ]
    At State Library of VIC
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 16.761)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 16.761)

  3. In a river bank at night : by Louis Lavater / With portrait by Harry Hastings Pearce
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Book : 1953 ]
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.328)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.328)

  4. This green mortality / by Louis Lavater
    Lavater, Louis 1867-1953
    [ Book : 1922 ]
    Read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    At 18 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 14.722)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 14.722)

  5. Music manuscripts
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Printed music : 1900-1953 ]
    At State Library of VIC
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 13.871)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 13.871)

  6. A lover's ephemeris / by Louis Lavater
    Lavater, Louis 1867-1953
    [ Book : 1917-1935 ]
    Read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    At 18 libraries
    A lover's ephemeris / by Louis Lavater
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 12.522)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 12.522)

  7. Music scores
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Unpublished : 1950-1973 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 11.606)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 11.606)

  8. Blue days and grey days : a book of sonnets / by Louis Lavater
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Book : 1915-1921 ]
    At 18 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 10.529)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 10.529)

  9. The sonnet in Australasia : a survey and selection / by Louis Lavater ; edited with a foreword by Frederick T. Macartney
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Book : 1956 ]
    At 31 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 10.504)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 10.504)

  10. Thine eyes still shined for me : song / words by R.W. Emerson ; music by Louis Lavater
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Printed music : 1932 ]
    At Monash Uni Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 10.452)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 10.452)

More...

Resources about Louis Lavater (8)

  1. On a river bank at night / by Louis Lavater; with portrait by Harry Hastings Pearce
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Book : 1953 ]
    At 7 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 30.594)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 30.594)

  2. [Biographical cuttings on Louis Lavater, poet and composer, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals]
    [ Published : 1900-1990 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 17.877)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 17.877)

  3. Papers
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Unpublished : 1880-1953 ]
    At State Library of VIC
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 16.919)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 16.919)

  4. In a river bank at night : by Louis Lavater / With portrait by Harry Hastings Pearce
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Book : 1953 ]
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.621)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.621)

  5. Music manuscripts
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Printed music : 1900-1953 ]
    At State Library of VIC
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 13.792)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 13.792)

  6. Music scores
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Unpublished : 1950-1973 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 11.349)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 11.349)

  7. Thine eyes still shined for me : song / words by R.W. Emerson ; music by Louis Lavater
    Lavater, Louis, 1867-1953
    [ Printed music : 1932 ]
    At Monash Uni Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 10.404)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 10.404)

  8. [Lavater family tree and other papers]
    [ Unpublished : 1953-1976 ]
    At Baillieu Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.053)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.053)

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  1. A lover's ephemeris... / Melb., Sydney J. Endacott, 1917 30 p.; 20cm
    Lavater, Louis Isadore, 1867-1953
    [ Book ]
    Languages: Undetermined
    At ANU Print Repository
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.307)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.307)

  2. Blue days and grey days: a book of sonnets Melb., S.J. Endacott / [1915?] 41p
    Lavater, Louis Isadore, 1867-1953
    [ Book ]
    Languages: Undetermined
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.306)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.306)

  3. This green mortality / by Louis Lavater
    Lavater, Louis
    [ Book : 1922 ]
    At 3 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.286)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.286)

  4. The sonnett in Australasia : a survey and selection / by Louis Lavater ; ed. and foreword by Frederick T. Macartney
    Lavater, Louis
    [ Book : 1956 ]
    At Yarra Libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.188)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.188)

  1. Mopoke! : song / words by Louis Lavater ; music by Alfred Hill
    Hill, Alfred
    [ Printed music : 1938 ]
    At Sounds Australian
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.156)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.156)

  2. Mopoke! words by Louis Lavater ; music by Alfred Hill
    [ Printed music : 1938 ]
    At State Library of QLD
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.055)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.055)

  3. The white owl : song, for baritone or bass / music by Louis Lavater ; words by Tennyson
    Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson Baron, 1809-1892
    [ Printed music : 1933 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.055)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.055)

  4. Trav'lin' down the Castlereagh / words by A.B.Paterson ; music by Louis Lavater
    [ Printed music : 1937 ]
    At State Library of QLD
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.049)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.049)

  1. Souvenir d'amitie et de reconnaissance pour Mr. E. Louis / delapart de Jean Gaspar Lavater. Pasteur. Zuric, Samedy, 16 Janv. 1790
    Lavater, Johann Caspar, 1741-1801
    [ Unpublished ]
    Languages: French
    At State Library of NSW
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.101)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.101)

  2. Records
    Meanjin Archive
    [ Unpublished : 1935-1974 ]
    At Baillieu Library
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.011)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.011)

  3. Papers
    Pearce, Harry Hastings, 1897-1984
    [ Unpublished : 1875-1984 ]
    At National Library
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.003)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.003)

  1. Website: Rhymes Rudely Strung
    www.middlemiss.org
    Matching pages:
    • Scarlet-flowering Gums by Louis L... - 7/3/2013
    • ... to this era from a blossomless world! First published in The Bulletin, 29 June 1922 Author: Louis Lavater (1867-1953) was born...
    View 5 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.026)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.026)

  2. Website: First families 2001
    www.firstfamilies2001.net.au
    Matching pages:
    • First Families Search Results - 20/12/2004
    • ... LAVATER, LAVATER, Louis Isadore 1 LAVATER, Louis Isadore 1 LAVATER, Percy Gilbert Diethelm 2 LAVATER...
    View 2 matching archived pages
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.01)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.01)

  3. Website: National Library of Australia staff papers
    www.nla.gov.au
    Matching pages:
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.007)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.007)

  1. Louis Lavater
    Thomson, Olive ...
    [ Art work : 1946 ]
    Louis Lavater
  2. Miscellaneous items, 1900-1929
    Hobday family
    [ Photograph ]
  3. Studio portrait of Louis Lavater
    unknown
    [ Photograph : 1940-1953 ]
    Studio portrait of Louis Lavater
  4. Louis Lavater
    Unidentified
    [ Photograph ]
    Louis Lavater
  1. Louis Lavater, Composer, Dies Aged 86
    The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Saturday 23 May 1953 p 3 Article
    ... , ri t y Louis Lavater, Composer, ':',.','.'. ' Dies Aged 86,','ó -.-' if MELBOURNE, Friday?«; -Mr. Louis Lavater, 86,"! died in a rest home at East St. St Kilda, Melbourne, after a hcait attack to-day m . He was a prolific and vfic.-^ satile composer and poet In l his caily school clays at St. ... 161 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.647)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.647)

  2. Entertainments COMPOSER-POET Louis Lavater's Works
    The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Saturday 26 March 1938 p 15 Article
    ... Entertainments COMPOSER-POET -* Louis Lavater's Works i A composer-poet who writes a graceful sense of melody with an equally fluent gilt of verse-making, Mr Louis Lavater is held in deservedly high esteem by his fellow musicians and by a large section of tho musical public A pleasing tribute to ... 746 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.637)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.637)

  3. AN AUSTRALIAN HYMN. [Music for these words has been composed by Mr. Louis Lavater.]
    The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Tuesday 1 January 1901 p 4 Article
    ... AN AUSTRALIAN HYMN. [Music for these words has been composed by Mr. Louis Lavater.] JOHN down, O Lord of Light, Upon our Austral land; Protect her by the sleepless might Of Thy strong hand. Thy Cross upon her brow Was set long since for sign; ... 255 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.094)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.094)

  1. Louis Lavater
    Southerly
    [ Article : 917-2012 ]
    View online (access conditions)
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.116)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.116)

  2. Louis Lavater
    Allen, Biddy; Macartney, Frederick T
    Meanjin
    [ Article : 1006-2012 ]
    View online (access conditions)
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.099)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.099)

  3. Louis Lavater
    Palmer, Nettie
    Meanjin
    [ Article : 102-2012 ]
    View online (access conditions)
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.099)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.099)

  4. Portrait
    Lavater, Louis
    Meanjin Papers
    [ Article : 1006-2012 ]
    View online (access conditions)
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.074)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.074)