He was born in Zurich, Switzerland, and began studying music at the age of six. He studied at the Zurich Conservatory from 1915 to 1918, where he studied composition with Walter Courvoisier and piano with Paul Baumgartner. He also studied in Berlin with Ernst Toch from 1921 to 1923.
In 1923, Messmer moved to Canada and settled in Toronto. He taught music at the Toronto Conservatory of Music from 1923 to 1965, and also conducted several orchestras in Toronto, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Messmer composed over 100 works in a variety of genres, including symphonies, concertos, operas, and choral works. His music is often tonal and lyrical, and it often incorporates elements of Swiss folk music.
Some of Messmer's most notable works include:
* Symphony No. 1 (1930)
* Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1933)
* Opera "The Masterpiece" (1936)
* Mass in D minor (1947)
* Symphony No. 4 (1955)
Messmer died in Toronto on February 21, 1970.
List of compositions
Orchestral
- Symphony No. 1 (1930)
- Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1933)
- Overture to a Comedy (1935)
- Suite from the Opera "The Masterpiece" (1936)
- Four Swiss Folk Dances (1937)
- Divertimento for Strings (1939)
- Suite from the Ballet "The Enchanted Forest" (1942)
- Symphony No. 2 (1944)
- Symphonic Suite (1946)
- Symphony No. 3 (1950)
- Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (1951)
- Concertino for Clarinet and Orchestra (1952)
- Symphony No. 4 (1955)
- Concerto for Flute and Orchestra (1956)
- Concerto for Cello and Orchestra (1957)
- Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra (1958)
- Symphony No. 5 (1959)
- Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra (1960)
- Symphony No. 6 (1961)
- Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra (1962)
- Symphony No. 7 (1963)
- Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra (1964)
- Symphony No. 8 (1965)
- Concerto for Horn and Orchestra (1966)
Operas
- "The Masterpiece" (1936)
- "The Enchanted Forest" (1942)
- "The Princess and the Swineherd" (1947)
Choral works
- Mass in D minor (1947)
- Requiem (1952)
- Te Deum (1955)
- Magnificat (1957)
- Cantata "The Song of the Earth" (1959)
- Oratorio "The Creation" (1962)
- Cantata "The Four Seasons" (1964)
- Oratorio "The Last Judgement" (1966)
- Cantata "The Seven Ages of Man" (1968)
Chamber music
- String Quartet No. 1 (1921)
- String Quartet No. 2 (1923)
- Piano Trio No. 1 (1925)
- Piano Trio No. 2 (1927)
- Sonata for Violin and Piano (1929)
- Sonata for Cello and Piano (1931)
- Quintet for Clarinet and Strings (1932)
- Quartet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1934)
- Sextet for Winds (1936)
- Septet for Strings and Winds (1938)
- Octet for Strings and Winds (1940)
- Nonet for Strings and Winds (1942)
Piano music
- Sonatina (1918)
- Suite (1920)
- Sonata No. 1 (1922)
- Sonata No. 2 (1924)
- Variations on a Swiss Folk Song (1926)
- Études (1928)
- Prelude and Fugue (1930)
- Toccata (1932)
- Rhapsody (1934)
- Sonata No. 3 (1936)
- Sonatina No. 2 (1938)
- Suite No. 2 (1940)
- Variations on a Theme by Haydn (1942)
- Sonata No. 4 (1944)
- Sonatina No. 3 (1946)
- Suite No. 3 (1948)
- Variations on a Theme by Beethoven (1950)
- Sonata No. 5 (1952)
- Sonatina No. 4 (1954)
- Suite No. 4 (1956)
- Variations on a Theme by Mozart (1958)
- Sonata No. 6 (1960)
- Sonatina No. 5 (1962)
- Suite No. 5 (1964)
- Variations on a Theme by Schubert (1966)
- Sonata No. 7 (19