Conquering Beauty documentary showcases life of Canadian composer Malcolm Forsyth

Tune into CBC Television on Aug. 1 to see a powerful documentary on the passionate life and loves of composer Malcolm Forsyth, the man who defined Canadian classical music.

​Conquering Beauty: The Life and Music of Malcolm Forsyth looks at how the Edmonton composer immigrated to Canada from South Africa and strove to make his work define Canada and resonate with audiences and musicians alike. His final and culminating piece, 'A Ballad of Canada', premiered just a few weeks before he died and is heralded as a Canadian masterpiece.

"He came to this country as an immigrant, sort of an outsider. His music was played across the country. There's not an orchestra that hasn't played it, there's not a choir that hasn't sung it," saID fellow composer Allan Gordon Bell.

Conquering Beauty will premiere at 7 p.m. in B.C. and Alberta locally on CBC Television and release at the same time online at www.cbc.ca/edmonton and www.cbc.ca/bc.