Albert Roussel (1869-1937)
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. 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. In 1909 he 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, Padmåvatī, 1923). At the outbreak of World War I
in 1914 Roussel applied for active duty. After the war, he focused
on unfinished projects, which included the opera-ballet Padmåvatī. 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. 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.- Zoran Minderovic, All Music Guide
COMPOSITIONS Roussel Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre
Des heures passent, 5? pieces, piano, op. 1 (1898)
Les reves, voice and piano (c.1900)
Piano Trio, op. 2 (1902; rev. 1927)
Marche nuptiale, orchestra (1903)
4 poems, voice and piano, op. 3 (1903)
Resurrection, orchestra, op. 4 (1903)
Conte a la poupee, piano (1904)
Rustiques, 3 pieces, piano, op. 5 (1904-06)
Divertissement, flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano, op. 6 (1906)
La poeme de la foret (Symphony No. 1), op. 7 (1904-06)
4 poems, voice and piano, op. 8 (1907)
La menace, voice and piano/orchestra, op. 9 (1908)
Flammes, voice and piano, op. 10 (1908)
Violin Sonata No. 1, d, violin and piano, op. 11 (1907-08; rev. 1931)
2 poems chinois, voice and piano, op. 12 (1907-08)
Le marchand de sable qui passé, incidental music, op. 13 (1908)
Suite, f#, piano, op. 14 (1909-10)
Evocations, soloists, chorus and orchestra, op. 15 (1910-11)
Sonatine, piano, op. 16 (1912)
La festin de l’araignee (The Spider’s Feast), ballet, op. 17 (1912)
Petit canon perpetuel, piano (1913)
Padmavati, opera, op. 18 (1914-18)
2 melodies, voice and piano, op. 19 (1918)
2 melodies, voice and piano/orchestra, op. 20 (1919)
Impromptu, harp, op. 21 (1919)
Doute, piano (1919)
Pour une fete de printemps, symphonic poem, orchestra, op. 22 (1920)
L’accueil des muses [im memoriam Debussy], piano (1920)
Symphony No. 2, Bb, op. 23 (1919-21)
Fanfare pour un sacre paien, brass and drums (1921)
La vaissance de la lyre, incidental music, op. 24 (1923-24)
Madrigal aux muses, female chorus, op. 25 (1923)
2 poems de Ronsard, voice and flute, op. 26 (1924)
Joueurs de flute, 4 pieces, flute and piano, op. 27 (1924)
Violin Sonata No. 2, A, violin and piano, op. 28 (1924)
Segovia, guitar, op. 29 (1925)
Serenade, flute, violin, viola, cello and harp, op. 30 (1925)
Duo, bassoon and cello/double bass (1925)
Odes anacreontiques, 3 pieces, voice and piano, op. 31 (1926)
Odes anacreontiques, 3 pieces, voice and piano, op. 32 (1926)
Suite, F, orchestra, op. 33 (1926)
Le bardit des francs, male chorus, brass and percussion ad lib. (1926)
Concerto, small orchestra, op. 34 (1926-27)
Sarabande, for L’eventail de Jeanne, collaborative ballet (1927)
2 Poemes chinois, voice and piano, op. 35 (1927)
Piano Concerto, G, op. 36 (1927)
Vocalise No. 1, voice and piano (1927)
Vocalise No. 2, voice and piano (1928)
Psalm 80, tenor, chorus and orchestra, op. 37 (1928)
O bon vin, ou as-tu cru?, voice and piano (1928)
Jazz dans la nuit, voice and piano, op. 38 (1928)
Petite Suite, orchestra, op. 39 (1929)
Trio, flute, viola and cello, op. 40 (1929)
Prelude and Fughetta, organ, op. 41 (1929)
Symphony No. 3, g, op. 42 (1929-30)
Bacchus et Ariane, ballet, op. 43 (1930)
2 idylles, voice and piano, op. 44 (1931)
A Flower Given to My Daughter, voice and piano (1931)
String Quartet , D, op. 45 (1931-32)
Prelude and Fugue, piano, op. 46 (1932-34)
2 poemes chinois, voice and piano, op. 47 (1932)
A Glorious Day, military band, op. 48 (1932)
3 Pieces, piano, op. 49 (1933)
2 melodies, voice and piano, op. 50 (1933-34)
Andante and Scherzo, flute and piano, op. 51 (1934)
Pipe, D, flageolet and piano (1934)
Sinfonietta, string orchestra, op. 52 (1934)
Symphony No. 4, op. 53, A (1934)
Aeneas, ballet, op. 54 (1935)
2 melodies, voice and piano, op. 55 (1935)
Prelude, to Act II of Le quatorze juillet, incidental music (1936?)
Rhapsodie flamande, orchestra, op. 56 (1936)
Cello Concertino, op. 57 (1936)
String Trio, violin, viola and cello, op. 58 (1937)
Elpenor, radio score, op. 59 (1937)
Andante (from incomplete Trio), oboe, clarinet and bassoon (1937)
WORKS BY GENRE Roussel Links ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
La festin de l’araignee (The Spider’s Feast), ballet, op. 17 (1912)
Padmavati, opera, op. 18 (1914-18)
Sarabande, for L’eventail de Jeanne, collaborative ballet (1927)
Bacchus et Ariane, ballet, op. 43 (1930)
Aeneas, ballet, op. 54 (1935)
Orchestra
Marche nuptiale, orchestra (1903)
Resurrection, orchestra, op. 4 (1903)
La poeme de la foret (Symphony No. 1), op. 7 (1904-06)
Pour une fete de printemps, symphonic poem, orchestra, op. 22 (1920)
Symphony No. 2, Bb, op. 23 (1919-21)
Suite, F, orchestra, op. 33 (1926)
Concerto, small orchestra, op. 34 (1926-27)
Petite Suite, orchestra, op. 39 (1929)
Symphony No. 3, g, op. 42 (1929-30)
Sinfonietta, string orchestra, op. 52 (1934)
Symphony No. 4, A, op. 53 (1934)
Rhapsodie flamande, orchestra, op. 56 (1936)
Band
Fanfare pour un sacre paien, brass and drums (1921)
A Glorious Day, military band, op. 48 (1932)
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Piano Concerto, G, op. 36 (1927)
Cello Concertino, op. 57 (1936)
Chorus w/Orchestra
Evocations, soloists, chorus and orchestra, op. 15 (1910-11)
Psalm 80, tenor, chorus and orchestra, op. 37 (1928)
Choral
Madrigal aux muses, female chorus, op. 25 (1923)
Le bardit des francs, male chorus, brass and percussion ad lib. (1926)
Chamber
Piano Trio, op. 2 (1902; rev. 1927)
Divertissement, flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano, op. 6 (1906)
Serenade, flute, violin, viola, cello and harp, op. 30 (1925)
Duo, bassoon and cello/double bass (1925)
Trio, flute, viola and cello, op. 40 (1929)
String Quartet , D, op. 45 (1931-32)
String Trio, violin, viola and cello, op. 58 (1937)
Andante (from incomplete Trio), oboe, clarinet and bassoon (1937)
Solo Instrument
Violin Sonata No. 1, d, violin and piano op. 11 (1907-08; rev. 1931)
Impromptu, harp, op. 21 (1919)
Joueurs de flūte, 4 pieces, flute and piano, op. 27 (1924)
Violin Sonata No. 2, A, violin and piano, op. 28 (1924)
Segovia, guitar, op. 29 (1925)
Andante and Scherzo, flute and piano, op. 51 (1934)
Pipe, D, flageolet and piano (1934)
Piano/Organ
Des heures passent, 5? pieces, piano, op. 1 (1898)
Conte a la poupee, piano (1904)
Rustiques, 3 pieces, piano, op. 5 (1904-06)
Suite, f#, piano, op. 14 (1909-10)
Sonatine, piano, op. 16 (1912)
Petit canon perpetuel, piano (1913)
Doute, piano (1919)
L’accueil des muses [im memoriam Debussy], piano (1920)
Prelude and Fughetta, organ, op. 41 (1929)
Prelude and Fugue, piano, op. 46 (1932-34)
3 Pieces, piano, op. 49 (1933)
Vocal
Les reves, voice and piano (c.1900)
4 poems, voice and piano, op. 3 (1903)
4 poems, voice and piano, op. 8 (1907)
La menace, voice and piano/orchestra, op. 9 (1908)
Flammes, voice and piano, op. 10 (1908)
2 poems chinois, voice and piano, op. 12 (1907-08)
2 melodies, voice and piano, op. 19 (1918)
2 melodies, voice and piano/orchestra, op. 20 (1919)
2 poems de Ronsard, voice and flute, op. 26 (1924)
Odes anacreontiques, 3 pieces, voice and piano, op. 31 (1926)
Odes anacreontiques, 3 pieces, voice and piano, op. 32 (1926)
2 Poemes chinois, voice and piano, op. 35 (1927)
Vocalise No. 1, voice and piano (1927)
Vocalise No. 2, voice and piano (1928)
O bon vin, ou as-tu cru?, voice and piano (1928)
Jazz dans la nuit, voice and piano, op. 38 (1928)
2 idylles, voice and piano, op. 44 (1931)
A Flower Given to My Daughter, voice and piano (1931)
2 poemes chinois, voice and piano, op. 47 (1932)
2 melodies, voice and piano, op. 50 (1933-34)
2 melodies, voice and piano, op. 55 (1935)
Incidental/Film
Le marchand de sable qui passé, incidental music, op. 13 (1908)
La vaissance de la lyre, incidental music, op. 24 (1923-24)
Prelude, to Act II of Le quatorze juillet, incidental music (1936?)
Elpenor, radio score, op. 59 (1937)
ROUSSEL LINKS Works by Genre ~ top of page ~
Albert Roussel (in "A Guide to Orchestral Music", Ethan Mordden, Oxford, books.google.com)
Albert Roussel (in "Writing Through Music", Jann Pasler, George Lewis, Oxford, books.google.com)
Albert Roussel & the Temple of Doom-Oops! I Mean "Padmavati" Is a Beautiful & Savage Dream (John Gibbons, Holde Kunst)
Albert Roussel: Complete Songs (Terry Barfoot, MusicWeb International)
Burned Alive: Roussel Rarity "Padmavati" Chooses Death in Paris (Jorg von Uthmann, Bloomberg)
Catalogue Raisonne de l'Oeuvre d'Albert Roussel [in English] (James William Sobaskie, ArticleArchives.com)
Indian Music in Western Composition (Sandeep Bhagwati)
Composer website (site by Edward Hoornaert)
Roussel @ Wikipedia
Roussel @ Wikipedia/Ballets
Roussel @ 8notes.com
Roussel @ Answers.com
Roussel @ Barnes & Noble
Roussel @ Classical Archives
Roussel @ Classical Composers Database
Roussel @ Classical Net
Roussel @ ClassicsToday
Roussel @ composition:today
Roussel @ Dr. Estrella's Incredibly Abridged Dictionary of Composers
Roussel @ Find a Grave
Roussel @ Infography
Roussel @ Infoplease
Roussel @ Karadar Classical Music
Roussel @ Los Angeles Philharmonic
Roussel @ musicologie.org (in french; english translation here)
Roussel @ MusicWeb International
Roussel @ NationMaster
Roussel @ Naxos
Roussel @ New York Philharmonic
Roussel @ The New York Times
Roussel @ novelguide.com
Roussel @ Pianopedia
Roussel @ REC Music Foundation /The Lied and Art Song Texts Page
Roussel @ SJSU Digital Art Library
Streaming Audio
Roussel @ Classical Archives
Roussel @ last.fm
Roussel @ Rhapsody
Roussel @ Werner Icking Music Archive
Recordings
Roussel @ ArkivMusic
Roussel @ ClassicsOnline
Roussel @ YouTube
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