# Albert Roussel



## Mirror Image

Though less well known than his contemporaries Ravel and Debussy, Albert Roussel is nevertheless regarded as one of the most important figures in early twentieth century French music. Roussel's music reflects his efforts to explore new possibilities of expression while remaining faithful to traditional musical ideas; evident in his chamber music and works for the stage, this tension between traditionalism and experimentation is particularly successful in his symphonies.

Born into an affluent family, Roussel lost both his parents when he was very young, and was entrusted to the care of his grandfather at age seven; in 1880, the grandfather died, and a maternal aunt took over the responsibility of raising the boy. Although he was interested in music, Roussel decided to pursue a naval career; he graduated from the Ecole Navale in 1889, eventually serving in Indochina as an officer.

In 1894, however, Roussel resigned his commission, devoting himself completely to music. He went to Paris, where he studied with the composer and organist Eugene Gigout. Four years later, he began studies with Vincent d'Indy at the newly-founded Schola Cantorum. In 1902, although he had not yet completed his studies, Roussel became professor of counterpoint at the Schola Cantorum.

Having already composed several significant works (including his Piano Trio and the First Symphony), Roussel married Blanche Preisach in 1908; the following year, the two traveled to India, where he was exposed to the medieval Hindu legend of Queen Padmavati, who sacrificed her life for love. Fascinated by this story, Roussel decided to set it to music (his opera, Padmåvatî, 1923).

At the outbreak of World War I in 1914 Roussel applied for active duty, eventually obtaining an artillery commission; after the war, having retired to Perros-Guirec on the coast of Brittany, he focused on unfinished projects, which included the opera-ballet Padmåvatî. This work, which incorporates elements of traditional Indian music, marked a new period for Roussel, whose earlier compositions showed influences of Impressionism.

During the 1920s, Roussel struggled to balance an increasing structural complexity with emotional expressiveness in his works. His Second Symphony, completed in 1921, exemplifies this tension; in Roussel's subsequent works, the listener can also detect elements of neo-Classicism.

In 1922, Roussel settled in Vasterival, in the coast of Normandy. Despite increasingly frail health, he devoted much of his energy to composing; he completed the Piano Concerto in 1927. His increasing public esteem is evidenced by a festival entirely devoted to his works in Paris (1927) as well as a commission from the Boston Symphony Orchestra for that organization's 50th anniversary (Third Symphony, 1930); Roussel traveled to the United States for the performance.

Works composed toward the end of Roussel's life, such as the String Quartet (1931-1932), the Fourth Symphony (1934), and the String Trio (1937), show his melodic idiom to be enriched by elements of chromaticism and polytonality. In these compositions, Roussel managed a successful synthesis of these new elements with the transparency of his earlier style.

[Article taken from All Music Guide]

I consider Albert Roussel, like Leos Janacek, to be one of the greatest "late bloomers" in classical music. His music is so melodic, but it has an adventurous edge to it. I would also say the music is very harmonically rich. His symphonies are all outstanding works and should apart of the concert repertoire.

What do you guys think of this very talented composer?


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## bassClef

His 3rd symphony in particular is excellent, very rousing, I also enjoy the ballet Bacchus et Ariane.


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## maestro267

I've recently discovered Roussel through the Naxos recording of the Third Symphony and the complete Bacchus et Ariane (RSNO, Deneve). Both fantastic pieces of music. I purchased the Second Symphony (same label) two months ago, and was again impressed. I await the rest of the cycle with keen anticipation.


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## Mirror Image

His Symphony No. 1 is one of the best early C20th symphonies I've heard from anyone. Absolutely beautiful and full of beautiful tunes.


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## Jaime77

I have a recording of the Symphony No. 2. I don't particularly like large symphonies with that kind of harmonic language. I prefer the Austro-German approach to the symphony e.g. Mahler - I think the musical argument is more vivid or something then the French. The German tradition including some British symphonies and Scandanavian/Finnish 'get to the point' faster in some way. Having said that the colours and harmonies are beautiful and it makes a nice change.


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## Mirror Image

jaibyrne said:


> I have a recording of the Symphony No. 2. I don't particularly like large symphonies with that kind of harmonic language. I prefer the Austro-German approach to the symphony e.g. Mahler - I think the musical argument is more vivid or something then the French. The German tradition including some British symphonies and Scandanavian/Finnish 'get to the point' faster in some way. Having said that the colours and harmonies are beautiful and it makes a nice change.


I think the Russian symphony blows them all away, but then again, that's just my opinion. With the Russians you get directness and great harmonic color.

English, American, German, Nordic, French, Hungarian, etc. don't quite satisfy me like a Russian symphony.


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## Sid James

I was just in a cd shop, and read on the back of one of the Naxos Rousell cd's that he taught Varese. Being a big Varese fan, this interests me & maybe I will buy that cd at some stage...


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## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> I was just in a cd shop, and read on the back of one of the Naxos Rousell cd's that he taught Varese. Being a big Varese fan, this interests me & maybe I will buy that cd at some stage...


If there's anything you should hear by Roussel at least try and hear his Symphony No. 1 "The Poem of the Forest." There are so many strands of music in this symphony: impressionism, neo-classicism, among others. The last movement, in particular, is out-of-this-world.

I enjoy most of Roussel's work that I've heard, but his Symphony No. 1 deserves to be in the concert repertoire as so many other pieces deserve to be.


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## Sid James

I just heard Roussel's _*Symphony No. 2*_ & it's interesting listening. The slow & ambigious beginning is very effective, with just as much brooding as in a Shostakovich symphony. I like how he lightens up in the second movement, with an exploration of dance-like themes. Then in the finale he returns to the more serious & melancholic content of the first movement. I haven't heard the rest of the Naxos disc, which I was fortunate to find at my local library. He's yet another interesting composer who I wasn't previously very familiar with, apart from hearing some of his pieces on radio...


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## TresPicos

bassClef said:


> His 3rd symphony in particular is excellent, very rousing, I also enjoy the ballet Bacchus et Ariane.


The beginning of his 3rd symphony is one of the best symphony beginnings ever!


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## Weird Heather

I just listened to the Third Symphony, and while I have listened to it before and liked it the first time I heard it, I must have been in the mood for it today because my appreciation for it went up a notch or two (and made me want to listen to more of Roussel's music today). This seems like a good excuse to necro this prehistoric thread and see if anybody has anything to add.

It is interesting to compare Roussel's music with that of other French composers from around the same time. Roussel seems somewhat closer to the Romantic style than, for example, Debussy or Ravel, but his music has a unique feel to it. It is difficult to describe - it feels like Roussel's music has a harder edge to it; it is quite expressive, harsh and/or bombastic at times, but sometimes playful. The Third and Fourth Symphonies feel quite massive despite their concise length. It is as if the information content of an hour-long late Romantic symphony is compressed into less than half the time. There is no opportunity to just sit and settle into a particular atmosphere - the music keeps moving along at a steady pace, changing from mood to mood and keeping the tension at a healthy level. This is music that, for me, can never become boring.

I still don't have the First and Second Symphonies, and I have just a few of his other orchestral works (and nothing in any other genre). Most of my recordings of Roussel's music are from a large box set of late 1957-1966 stereo recordings of works by various composers conducted by André Cluytens. The sound quality and performances are uniformly excellent. I think I need to expand my collection of Roussel's music the next time I buy some downloads. I'm certainly open to suggestions or recommendations.


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## MusicSybarite

The Naxos set of symphonies and other orchestral works is perhaps the most important collection of his compositions and very well recorded. The Dutoit symphony set on the Apex label is worthy too. Whichever you choose is gonna be a good one regarding the symphonies.


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## elgar's ghost

His chamber works are well worth investigating. As with his fellow Frenchmen Poulenc and Ibert some of the pieces are for unusual instrumental combinations.


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## Josquin13

(1) Several years ago I explored chamber works by French composers of the late 19th & early 20th century, in search of works for flute, harp, and strings that might be considered masterworks alongside Debussy's late Sonata for Flute, Harp, and Viola, and Ravel's Introduction et allegro, both of which I greatly admire. One of the discoveries I made at that time was Roussel's Serenade for Flute, String Trio, & Harp, Op. 30. While I wouldn't put it quite in the same class as Debussy's masterpiece, it's worth getting to know.

One of the best recordings I've heard of the Serenade has been from the Montreal Chamber Players on Atma (unfortunately, I can't find it on You Tube, but it used to be there):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WWYMCG/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp
https://www.amazon.com/Autour-Harp-...D=51QUo5%2BxzCL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

There's also a very good version from the Mirage Quintet on Naxos, and a older recording from harpist, Marisa Robles; plus, a good version in the Brilliant label's discount set of the complete chamber works of Roussel (a valuable set, considering that Roussel wrote other chamber works of a high quality):

Mirage Quintet:





https://www.amazon.com/French-Flute...pID=51uMBCrLClL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Here's a link to the Brilliant recording (the whole set can be heard on You Tube, if anyone's interested in exploring Roussel's chamber music further):





https://www.amazon.com/Roussel-Cham...kmr0&keywords=roussel+chamber+works+brilliant

Harpist Marisa Robles & co.:






There are also good recordings from the Linos Quintet and the Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields chamber ensemble.

(2) Apart from Roussel's 4 Symphonies, and his ballet Bacchus et Arianne, Op. 43 (along with the two Suites from the ballet), Roussel's exotic Évocations is worth getting to know, as well. There is a good older EMI (digital) recording from conductor Michel Plasson; however, there's also a brand new Chandos recording from Yan Pascal Tortelier, which I've not yet heard:





https://www.chandos.net/products/reviews/CHAN_10957

(3) I've been less keen on Roussel's solo piano music.

(4) He also composed songs, or mélodies, and I've especially liked Roussel's two "Poémes de Ronsard pour flute et voix", sung by soprano Sandrine Piau:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QZYTJC/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp
https://www.amazon.com/Debussy-Poul...0750007&sr=8-1&keywords=sandrine+piau+roussel










(These two songs are also included in the Brilliant set, where they're sung by soprano Irene Maessen: 



.)

My two cents.


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## CnC Bartok

In the light of Roussel 4 being this week's Saturday Symphony, I thought this might be worth giving a bump.

Quick question, beyond the Symphonies and the better-known ballets, what other Roussel is worth investigating? Anyone here know his opera Padmavati, for example?


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## Enthusiast

I have enjoyed this CD (Cello Concerto from Queyras and Piano Concerto from Tharaud along with the Concerto for Small Orchestra and the Petite Suite) but think it is no longer available.









There is also Bacchus et Ariane, which is very worthwhile. There are several recordings including this one:


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## D Smith

I have this recording of Padmavati with Horne and Gedda and can recommended it. It has quite a few dance scenes in it as well. Roussel also wrote quite a bit of excellent chamber music. The album below with the Schoenberg Quartet contains the string quartet, trio, piano trio and many others and is well played. I can also recommend the recent recording by Tharaud and Queras of the concertos as mentioned above.


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