# 20th Century Symphonic Masterpieces: Part Twenty - Roussel's Symphony No. 1, "Le poème de la forêt"



## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

20th Century Symphonic Masterpieces: Part Twenty - Roussel's _Symphony No. 1, "Le poème de la forêt"_



















Forced by ill-health to give up his naval career at 25, Roussel's late start as a composer is well known. Touching the preliminaries with Eugène Gigout, he began studies with Vincent d'Indy in 1898 at the latter's newly founded Schola Cantorum, where he faced a dauntingly thorough course which would occupy him for a decade. D'Indy was quick to recognize ability, appointing Roussel professor of counterpoint in 1902, and acknowledging him as a creative artist. When d'Indy received the symphonic poem Renouveau in 1905, he remarked to Marcel Labey, "Roussel has sent me an utterly delightful orchestral piece that is still in progress; if he weren't so distrustful of himself and could really let himself go, he could do some quite splendid things!" Such lack of confidence is difficult to credit, given the expressive power of works such as Résurrection (1903), a "symphonic prelude" after Tolstoy's novel, or the high finish, originality, surefire verve, and glowing tonal palette of the Divertissement for piano and winds, composed in 1906, as he was engaged with his Symphony No. 1. Nonetheless, the symphony's composition slowly proceeded, and with misgivings. Soir d'été, completed in October 1904, was heard at one of Alfred Cortot's lectures -- "hearings" of works by young composers given at the Nouveau-Théâtre -- on December 15. While Roussel gained some assurance regarding the effectiveness of his orchestral writing, another symphonic movement, Vendanges (Harvest), was rejected and destroyed after performance at the lectures on April 18, 1905. Renouveau was completed in July 1905, and Forêt d'hiver in June 1906. With three movements in hand suggesting the round of the seasons, Roussel joined Forêt d'hiver and Renouveau in a single movement -- the former as an atmospheric introduction, the latter in proper first-movement sonata form. Soir d'été is a ternary adagio showing strong affinities with d'Indy's Jour d'été à la montagne, composed at the same time. Throughout, the orchestral writing is evocative, pictorial, and exquisitely poetic, if not highly original -- Roussel exercising up-to-the-minute craft with a deft touch. Only in the final movement, "Faunes et dryades," completed in September 1906, does one feel Roussel "really let himself go." A rondo, the dance-like and suavely propulsive returning portions enclose reminiscences from previous movements to realize a cyclic design, the Holy Grail of form chez d'Indy and Schola adherents. The work's premiere was given at the Concerts Populaires in Brussels on March 22, 1908, conducted by Sylvain Dupuis. D'Indy led the Paris premiere on February 7, 1909, with the Lamoureux Orchestra.

[Article taken from All Music Guide]

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Putting aside the obvious nods here and there to Debussy, this is a marvelous symphony. The reason I didn't feature one of the other three symphonies, which are quite possibly more "Rousselian" than his 1st is because I feel this symphony deserves more attention than it receives. It's a symphony that rewards the listener over and over or, at least, for _this_ listener, this is the case. My favorite performance is Segerstam/Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz on the Cybella label. Segerstam has the full measure of this work and, under his baton, you can hear echoes of Scriabin's 3rd symphony (another symphony I have featured in this ongoing series). Anyway, what do you guys think of this symphony?


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

As another member of this forum often says: a very decent symphony. 

I enjoy this work because of the atmosphere, but I much more prefer his Symphonies 2 and 3. The interesting Roussel is there IMO.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

MusicSybarite said:


> As another member of this forum often says: a very decent symphony.
> 
> I enjoy this work because of the atmosphere, but I much more prefer his Symphonies 2 and 3. The interesting Roussel is there IMO.


I'm a huge fan of Impressionism, so this is why I love this particular symphony. It's Roussel's own personal take on this style and he nailed it. One of the best first symphonies ever written, IMHO.


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