Albert Roussel - A Sadly Neglected French Composer.

Started by Superhorn, September 15, 2008, 12:35:07 PM

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pjme

#20
Quote from: The Ardent Pelleastre on September 21, 2008, 04:37:18 PM
Yeah, and what does the word 'frou-frou' mean anyway ?

???



  Vanilla cookies "Frou frou" ( a fluffy,crispy cooky)

a red wig with "frou frou" ( = a pony)

La Goulue : dentelles et frou frou (lace, frills & ribbons)

Voilà! if you add cheap jewelry,fake pearls, a (fake) Chanel bag and overpowering perfume it becomes easily "chi chi" - fake chic.

Dundonnell

Nice to hear from you again, Peter :)

Have you been busy with work?

pjme

Thanks- and yes, since July I have a different job - not that easy at my age...! I'll tell more tomorrow - now it's bed time!

And don't forget Roussel's pianoconcerto - a short powerful work with a haunting slow movement!

Peter




Dundonnell

I completely agree with you about the Piano Concerto :)

There are some composers who produced a single Piano Concerto but are not particularly remembered for doing so(Rimsky-Korsakov and Scriabin also jump to mind). Roussel's piano concerto deserves better than such a fate.

Seek out this disc if it is still available-

PerfectWagnerite

Quote from: Superhorn on September 15, 2008, 12:35:07 PM
    It's  a  shame  that  Albert  Roussel (1869 - 1937 ),   ....
What the heck is wrong with your text editor or whatever is using? You would think by the upteenth post you would have that fixed already. It is extremely annoying.

karlhenning

Quote from: Dundonnell on September 22, 2008, 04:43:38 PM
I completely agree with you about the Piano Concerto :)

There are some composers who produced a single Piano Concerto but are not particularly remembered for doing so (Rimsky-Korsakov and Scriabin also jump to mind).

Igor Markevich, too.

Delighted to learn that there is a Roussel piano concerto worth investigating, thanks, lads!

pjme

Symphony nr 1 + pianoconcerto

This Belgian performance (Cyprès) is available at CD Universe. Soloist Jan Michiels is really an outstanding artist.

I've sung the exotic charms of "Evocations" before - 3 portraits of Indian cities . The last part is a magnificent choral/orchestral paean.
do try it ( good versions on Supraphon and EMI)

P.

Dundonnell

Giving "Evocations" another go on my system as I write, Peter. Had forgotten what a magical work it is :) :)

Do you know the Timpani disc I wrote about on Page 1?

pjme

I have that Timpani disc - very fine indeed. Timpani is issuing many excellent recordings. Recently a short opera by Pierné "Sophie Arnould" (coupled with a neo baroque Ballet de cour) and more chambermusic by Jean Cras.
Speaking of short operas : "Hélène" by saint saens has been recorded in Australia. It gets good reviews. Saint Saens wrote 13 ( or 15...) operas and only Samson et Dalila is known at all.....

Peter

Hector

Quote from: pjme on September 23, 2008, 10:28:13 AM
I have that Timpani disc - very fine indeed. Timpani is issuing many excellent recordings. Recently a short opera by Pierné "Sophie Arnould" (coupled with a neo baroque Ballet de cour) and more chambermusic by Jean Cras.
Speaking of short operas : "Hélène" by saint saens has been recorded in Australia. It gets good reviews. Saint Saens wrote 13 ( or 15...) operas and only Samson et Dalila is known at all.....

Peter

That's on the Bonynges label...Melba!

SonicMan46

Just wanted to get into this thread to see what recommendations are offered!  :)

For myself, I checked and had more than expected, all on bargain sets:

Symphonies w/ Janowski & the French Radio PO - 2-CD set; seems to be available on Amazon only on their marketplace?

Chamber Music w/ many performers; 3-CD bargain set from Brilliant Classics!

Ballets/Orchestral Pieces w/ Martinon; 2-CD value on Erato Ultima -  :)

   

The new erato

Quote from: Dundonnell on September 15, 2008, 01:03:36 PM
Oh, and I should have added this cracking Timpani CD-

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2004/Oct04/Roussel_psalm80.htm

Splendid, dramatic, at times barbaric choral pieces which show Roussel in a thoroughly unbuttoned vein :) :) Highly recommended to those who like a good wallow in choral splendour :)
I just ordered it. crotchet.co.uk have a Timpani promotion lasting two more days, stumbled across it accidentally and remebered your post.

Added this:



to make it really interesting!

pjme

That Honegger disc is propably really fine - and at least very interesting - I haven't heard ity.
The Concerto da camera ( flute, english horn & strings) is Honegger at his finest : poetical, pastoral - with a sad & serious undertone that is absolutely captivating. I've had an old Melodya LP with Honegger's "Le dit des jeux du monde" - played by an ensemble from St Petersburg....IIRC.
It's scored for a small orchestra ( flute/piccolo, trumpet, 4 percussion and strings. The percussion is quite "basic" : timpani, bass drum, cymbals, small drum, triangle and a bouteillophone - a set of bottles ,filled with water, so that they can be tuned;) - but do not expect highly charged music ( Sacre, Milhaud's Choéphores, l'Homme et son désir...). There's more early SChönberg in it ,or ...Wagner!
In 1918, when he wrote this music for a spectacle , based on text by a young ( symbolist) Belgian poet, Paul Méral, it was perceived as very strange, awkward.
It's a set of 10 dances ( or dance-ike fragments), lasting ca 45 mins., with 2 interludes and and an epilogue. 

Peter

Dundonnell

Speaking of Honegger..are you aware of this 2 disc set which I expect to be coming my way this week-

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product/NR_October08/8570979.htm

The new erato

Quote from: Dundonnell on September 28, 2008, 01:35:40 PM
Speaking of Honegger..are you aware of this 2 disc set which I expect to be coming my way this week-

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product/NR_October08/8570979.htm
Yes - I think I have a previous Naxos issoue of some film music as well. And there's a new Hyperion issue:



that I'm thinking about also. It contains:

Une Cantate de Noel, Horace victorieux, Cello Concerto, Prelude, Fugue et Postlude. Alban Gerhardt, James Rutherford, BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales / Thierry Fischer. Hyperion

karlhenning

All right! At last, I've brought my Roussel in with me today!

The new erato

Quote from: Dundonnell on September 15, 2008, 01:03:36 PM
Oh, and I should have added this cracking Timpani CD-

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2004/Oct04/Roussel_psalm80.htm

Splendid, dramatic, at times barbaric choral pieces which show Roussel in a thoroughly unbuttoned vein :) :) Highly recommended to those who like a good wallow in choral splendour :)
Seconded. Aeneas is very fine. At last we seem to have a French label doing for the frenchies what Hyperion and Chandos (and Lyrita!) have been doing in spades for British composers like Scott, Rubbra, Bantoch, Arnell, Bowen, Lambert etc in absurdum. High timel Though expensive on my wallet.

Dundonnell

Quote from: erato on December 01, 2008, 10:08:36 AM
Seconded. Aeneas is very fine. At last we seem to have a French label doing for the frenchies what Hyperion and Chandos (and Lyrita!) have been doing in spades for British composers like Scott, Rubbra, Bantoch, Arnell, Bowen, Lambert etc in absurdum. High timel Though expensive on my wallet.

"in absurdum"???

Can never be enough British music recorded ;D ;D IT would be nice if Simax and Aurora were doing even more for Norwegian music too :)

But, yes, I agree that Timpani is doing a splendid job at present for French music. High time too :)

The new erato

Quote from: Dundonnell on December 01, 2008, 03:24:20 PM
"in absurdum"???

Can never be enough British music recorded ;D ;D IT would be nice if Simax and Aurora were doing even more for Norwegian music too :)

But, yes, I agree that Timpani is doing a splendid job at present for French music. High time too :)
Well - compared to what's available of British music compared to other countries with just as strong; or stronger; musical traditions, the availability of British music is verging on the ridiculous. I can take ridiculous  ;D and wish other countries would get their acts together, but I would willingly trade a York Bowen or Cyrill Scott complete works for a complete Hilding Rosenberg (or insert your own choice here, I can think of several). No crticism of the British who are doing a splendid job for their own, but where are Casella editions? Ghedini? Or a Malipiero symphony set of reference standard?

springrite

Bacchus et Ariane is a work that needs to be played more. Yes, the ballet itself was a flop. But should be in the concert hall much like Daphnes et Chloe. The two works has much in common. The music is marvelous!