Pierre-Aurèle Asselin

Pierre-Aurèle Asselin (1881–1964) was a French Canadian furrier and tenor singer. Asselin came from a musical family; he was the brother of mezzo-soprano Marie-Anne Asselin and great uncle of pianist André Asselin.

Asselin was born in the town of Sainte-Famille on Île d'Orléans in 1881. He moved with his family to Montreal around 1901, and, in 1903, he married Cora Laviolette in Notre-Dame cathedral.

Singing career

Asselin began a career as a furrier soon after his marriage. He would remain a furrier until his retirement. Asselin sang in church for some time, but it would not be until 1916, when he was 35, that he would make his first professional performance. Columbia E3203 Side A: À l'inconnue by Cécile Chaminade (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) (3:30) Side B: Madrigal by Cécile Chaminade (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) (3:12) Columbia E3213 Side A: Priez, aimez, chantez by Gregh (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) (3:10) Side B: Tu me dirais by Chaminade (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) (2:50)

1918 Columbia E3454 Side A: Ouvre à l'amour (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) (3:32) Side B: Ivresse d'oiseaux (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) (3:18) Columbia E3701 Side A: L'adieu du matin by Pessard (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) (3:15) Side B: Crédo by Faure (Bass solo in French by J.M. Magnan, with orchestra) (3:26) Edison Blue Amberol 27182 Cantique de Noël by Adolphe Adam (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) Edison Blue Amberol 27183 Madrigal by Cécile Chaminade (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra)

1919 Edison Blue Amberol 27185 O salutaris by Théodore Salomé (Tenor solo in Latin, with orchestra) Edison Blue Amberol 27184 L'adieu du matin by Emile Pessard and Louis Gregh (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra)

1920 Edison Royal Purple Amberol: 29055 Ah! leve-toi, soleil! from Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod

1921 E7183 Columbia Side A: Berceuse from the opera Jocelyn (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) (2:34) Side B: Sur les bords de la Riviera (Tenor in French, with Baritone Guillaume Dupuis and orchestra) (2:53) E7195 Columbia Side A: Ah fuyez, douce image from Manon by Massenet (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) (2:56) Side B: Ange si pur from La favorite by Donizetti (Tenor solo in French, with orchestra) (2:46)

1922 E7208 Columbia Side A: Sur le lac d'argent by Fauré (Tenor in French, with Soprano Blanche Gauthier, and orchestra) (3:04) Side B: Pour toi by Codini and Courtioux (Tenor solo in French, and orchestra) (3:14)