Australia Dancing - Antill, John (1904

Antill, John (1904 - 1986)

Australian News and Information Bureau: Portrait of John Antill, 1958

Born in Sydney, John Antill received his early musical training at St. Andrew's Cathedral Choir School (1914-1920). In 1920 he became an apprenticed mechanical draughtsman upon joining the NSW Government Railways. He left the railways in 1925 to become a full-time student at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, where he studied composition with Alfred Hill and violin with Gerald Walenn.

After graduating he played in the NSW State Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and between 1932 and 1934 he toured with the J.C. Williamson Imperial Opera Company as a tenor and rehearsal conductor. In 1936 he became assistant music editor with the Australian Broadcasting Commission in Sydney, supervisor of music in 1947, and federal music editor in 1949. He held this last ABC position until his retirement in 1968.

John Antill's compositions were mainly for ballet and opera, orchestra, voice and choir. He also composed many scores for documentary films. His 1961 ballet Snowy, with choreography by Margaret Barr, was the first Australian ballet to be televised in Australia.

Antill's best known work, Corroboree, which has been widely performed, recorded and broadcast, has assured his place in Australian music. Sir Eugene Goossens first conducted Corroboree in 1946 as a concert suite. Originally conceived as a ballet, it was finally produced by the National Theatre Ballet in 1950, with choreography by Rex Reid and decor by William Constable. A new version was made in 1954 by Beth Dean. A suite from Corroboree was also used by Stanton Welch for a work made in 1995.

Other choreographic music by Antill includes The Circus Comes to Town (1925), Capriccio (1925), Wakooka (1957) choreographed by Valrene Tweedie, G?Day Digger (1958) choreographed by Beth Dean, The Unknown Land (1958) choreographed by Coralie Hinkley, The Birth of the Waratah (1959) choreographed by Beth Dean, The First Boomerang (1959) choreographed by Beth Dean, Burragarong Dreamtime (1959) choreographed by Beth Dean and Black Opal (1961) choreographed by Dawn Swane.

Antill was awarded the OBE for his services to Australian music in 1971, and received an Honorary Doctorate in Creative Arts from the University of Wollongong in 1985.

Research Materials

Australia Presents: The Australian Ballet, Corroboree, 1951 (Moving picture): Cast: John Antill, Rex Reid, artists of the National Theatre Ballet Company and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra; 35 mm film, black and white, sound, 11 mins; This film records preparations for and excerpts from a performance of the ballet Corroboree choreographed by Rex Reid and performed by the National Theatre Ballet Company. It includes scenes of John Antill conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Rex Reid choreographing some scenes and various people constructing the sets and costumes. The ballet was first performed in Sydney in 1950.; Reid, Rex ; National Theatre Ballet ; Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill]; Location:; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 11085

John Antill (left) with Eugene Goossens and Mrs Goossens: Australian Information Service, 1950s

John Antill (left) with Eugene Goossens and Mrs Goossens: Australian Information Service, 1950s (Picture): Location:; National Library of Australia; PIC/4757
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The Birth of the Waratah, 1965 (Moving picture): Choreography: Beth Dean; Music: John Antill; Cast: Beth Dean, Ronne Arnold, Jeffrey Kovel, Tony Deary, Ken Mansfield, Bruno Harvey, Alex Vale, Ross Hutchison, Julia Taperell, Jeanette Whitttaker; VHS videocassette, produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation; black and white, sound, PAL, 15 mins; Is part of: Dreaming Time Legends: G'day Digger (Title no: 371018); The birth of the waratah as recounted in the legends of the Aboriginal people of the Burragorang Valley, NSW. This shortened version for television was prepared by the choreographer from a longer work presented as part of the Pageant of Nationhood staged for the visit to Australia of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1963.; Dean, Beth ; Arnold, Ronne; Location:; The Keep Dancing! Collection; National Film and Sound Archive; Segment title no: 371031

Antill, John: Black Opal: musical score, 1961 (Printed music): The score Black Opal was commissioned of John Antill by Valrene Tweedie for performance by Ballet Australia. With choreography by Dawn Swane and designs by Douglas Smith, the ballet was premiered in July 1961 in Sydney at the Elizabeth Theatre, Newtown.

The context in which Black Opal was created is discussed in Joel Crotty, 'Ballet Australia between 1961 and 1962: a Microcosm of Musical Change', Brolga 1 (December 1994).; Ballet Australia ; Tweedie, Valrene; Location:; National Library of Australia; MS 437/8d
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Antill, John: Corrobboree [i.e. Corroboree]: a ballet suite for orchestra, c. 1950 (Manuscript): This item is a microfilm copy of the score for John Antill's ballet Corroboree. In addition to the complete musical score, the manuscript contains an introduction to the ballet written by Antill, hand drawn, coloured illustrations showing Antill's ideas for costumes and properties, Antill's proposed choreographic outline, and printed material, including illustrations, relating to William Constable's designs for the work. The fragile original is part of the papers of John Antill held by the National Library of Australia at MS 437. The name of the work is misspelt by Antill on this manuscript.; Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill] ; Constable, William (Bill); Location:; National Library of Australia; mfm G 437
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Corroboree (Reference text): Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill]; Location:; Online; http://www.nla.gov.au/pub/nlanews/2004/mar04/article3.html

Corroboree: John Antill's New Ballet, 1950 (Moving picture): Newsreel; black and white, intermittent sound, 2 mins; Is part of: Movietone News, Vol. 21, No. 32 (Title no. 30926); John Antill and Rex Reid engage in conversation over a piano, dancers try on costumes for Corroboree and brief excerpts from the ballet are shown.; Reid, Rex ; Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill]; Location:; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 92177

The First Boomerang, 1965 (Moving picture): Choreography: Beth Dean; Music: John Antill; Cast: Beth Dean, Ronne Arnold, Jeffrey Kovel, Bruno Harvey, Ross Hutchison, Julia Taperell, Jeanette Whitttaker; VHS videocassette, produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation; black and white, sound, PAL, 15 mins; Is part of: Dreaming Time Legends: G'day Digger (Title no: 371018); The creation of the first boomerang as recounted in the legends of the Aboriginal people of the Burragorang Valley, NSW. This shortened version for television was prepared by the choreographer from a longer work presented as part of the Pageant of Nationhood staged for the visit to Australia of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1963.; Dean, Beth ; Arnold, Ronne; Location:; The Keep Dancing! Collection; National Film and Sound Archive; Segment title no: 371030

G'Day Digger, 1956 (Moving picture): Choreography: Beth Dean; Music: John Antill; Libretto: Victor Carell; Cast: Beth Dean, Valrene Tweedie, Colin Fitzgerald, Alex Crethar, Carl Randall, John Sherwood; VHS videocassette, produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation; black and white, sound, PAL, 30 mins; Is part of: Dreaming Time Legends: G'day Digger (Title no: 371018); Two Australian soldiers meet in a foxhole in the Second World War. They meet again in a bar back home in Australia at the conclusion of the war.; Dean, Beth ; Tweedie, Valrene; Location:; The Keep Dancing! Collection; National Film and Sound Archive; Segment title no: 379695

Interview with John Antill , 1963 (Oral history): Interviewee: Antill, John; Interviewer: Hazel de Berg; Audiotape; ca. 10 mins; John Antill discusses his early abilities and training in music. He recalls his studies in engineering, growing interest in music and subsequent training at the NSW Conservatorium of Music under Alfred Hill. He speaks about his method of composition and the challenge of being a contemporary composer. He then talks about his reasons for composing Corroboree, his study of Aboriginal culture and music and his conception of the work as a ballet.; Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill]; Location:; Hazel de Berg collection; National Library of Australia; deB 57
nla.cat-vn1766341; Open for research use; written permission required for copies and public use.

[Lecture Demonstration by Beth Dean on her Ballet 'Corroboree'], 1993 (Moving picture): VHS videocassette; colour, sound, PAL, 65 mins; Beth Dean discusses the background to her ballet Corroboree originally produced in 1954 to the score of the same name by John Antill. She speaks especially about a research trip made to northern Australia in 1953, which provided source material for her ballet. She demonstrates some of the dance steps she learnt from Australian Aborigines during the field trip and sings some of the songs she was taught. This video was recorded on the occasion when Dean presented her research materials and costumes relating to Corroboree to the National Museum of Australia.; Dean, Beth ; Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill]; Location:; The Keep Dancing! Collection; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 368548

Notated score for 'Corroboree', 1998 (Notated score): Choreography: Dean, Beth; Music: Antill, John; Notator: Denton, Meg; Cook, Ray; This Labanotation score for Beth Dean's Corroboree was created by Meg Denton while Dean was teaching the ballet to students of the Australian Ballet School in 1994. The notation was revised by Denton and Ray Cook between 1997 and 1998. The National Library's copy contains the complete dance notation but does not contain Appendices A, B, C and D, that is the music score, illustrations of costumes, the choreography in long hand and the choreographer's notes. The original manuscript is held by the Dance Notation Bureau, New York.; Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill] ; Dean, Beth ; Cook, Ray ; Denton, Meg; Location:; National Library of Australia; MS 9469
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Papers of John Antill (1904-1986), 1872-1987 (Manuscript): 39 boxes; 42 folio boxes; The papers of John Antill contain a significant collection of material relating to his ballet scores. Ballets represented in the collection include Corroboree, choreographed variously by Rex Reid, Beth Dean and Stanton Welch, Wakooka choreographed by Valrene Tweedie, G'Day Digger and Dreaming Time Legends, choreographed by Beth Dean, Snowy, choreographed by Margaret Barr, and Black Opal, choreographed by Dawn Swane. Material includes scores, miscellaneous writings, correspondence, diaries and scrap albums. Description of the scope of the collection and a detailed contents list is available at MS 437 Papers of John Antill (1904-1986).; Tweedie, Valrene ; Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill] ; Reid, Rex ; Dean, Beth ; Welch, Stanton ; Barr, Margaret ; Wakooka; Location:; National Library of Australia; MS 437
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Papers of Rex Reid, 1949-? (Manuscript): This collection relates to Rex Reid's career as a dancer, choreographer and director. It includes a significant component of material, including newspaper clippings and photographs, relating to Reid's 1950 production of Corroboree, a ballet created to the score by John Antill and performed by the National Theatre Ballet.; Reid, Rex ; Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill] ; National Theatre Ballet; Location:; Cataloguing in process; National Library of Australia; nla.cat-vn1070680

Papers of Victor Carell and Beth Dean, 1937-1990 (Manuscript): This extensive collection covers the breadth of Beth Dean's and Victor Carell's careers, from their performance life in America, their research trips throughout the Pacific, and their involvement in various cultural organisations and festivals, performances, and to their writings. Items in the collection include correspondence, cast lists, scripts, costume designs, photographs, and films. Many of these items relate to various festivals, including the South Pacific Festival, Festival of Pacific Arts, Cook Bicentenary, and the Pageant of Nationhood. The collection contains correspondence between Carell, Dean and various cultural organisations, including Fiji National Trust, Arts Council of Australia, Ballet of the South Pacific, Cook Islands National Arts Theatre, Macleay Museum, Wolanski Foundation, Levuka Centre, Art Gallery of NSW, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australian Performing Rights Association. Individual correspondents include Robert Helpmann, John Butler, Marie Rambert, Dorothy Helmrich, Doris Fitton, and John Antill. Items relating to Dean's productions, including Corroboree, Kukaitcha and G?Day Digger, form a significant component of the collection. For further details see Papers of Beth Dean and Victor Carell.; Dean, Beth ; Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill] ; Helpmann, Robert ; Rambert, Marie; Location:; State Library of NSW; MLMSS 963/92

Programs, John Antill (Ephemera): 1 box; A large selection of programs and associated ephemera organised into seven files: compositions [excluding Corroboree], Corroboree (symphonic ballet), Corroboree (suite), performance activities as a student and adult, concert going, other activities and miscellaneous. Companies represented in the collection include Ballet Australia, The Foundation City Ballet Company, Australian Contemporary Dance Company, The Arts Council Ballet. Also included are programs for performances of works by Beth Dean, Ronne Arnold, Jean Dembitzka, and Dawn Swann.; Corroboree [Dance work made to the score of John Antill] ; Ballet Australia ; Dean, Beth ; Arnold, Ronne; Location:; National Library of Australia; PROMPT Collection (Access through Petherick Room)

Wakooka, 1961 (Moving picture): Cast: Karen Tysson, John Smith (Warren de Maria), Desmond Meyers, Jean-Louis Buhagiar and artists of Ballet Australia; Music: John Antill; Choreography: Valrene Tweedie; 16 mm film, produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation; black and white, sound, 25 mins; Wakooka was originally made for the Elizabethan Opera Ballet Company and premiered in Sydney in 1957. This recording features artists of Ballet Australia and was filmed for television in c. 1961. The story concerns the daughter of a station master on an Australian sheep station and her encounter with a visiting engineer.; Ballet Australia ; Tweedie, Valrene ; Wakooka; Location:; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 14263

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Other resources

Find more about Antill, John in:

Collection - OzLife
Internet - Google
Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
Pictures - Picture Australia
Music - Music Australia
Libraries - Libraries Australia