Albert Roussel - Symphony No. 1 in D Minor "Poem of The Forest" Op. 7 (1904)
Conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky with the USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony.
I. Winter Forest - 00:00
II. Renewal - Spring - 4:46
III. Summer Evening - 13:43
IV. Fauns and Dryads - Autumn - 21:34
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| Albert Roussel, french composer (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
arch 1908, Sylvain Dupuis conducting. Despite the subtitle, Poem of the Forest, this is no programmatic work; rather its four movements portray a seasonal course following the order Winter-Spring-Summer-Autumn. An amalgam between the often descriptive manner of Debussy and 'cyclical' formal procedures espoused by Roussel's teacher d'Indy is evident throughout the piece.
The Forest in Winter emerges out of a gentle haze on woodwind and strings, bassoon, flute and clarinet tentatively stating a melodic phrase against undulating figuration on strings. It is left to the oboe to unfold the actual melody, after which an increase in activity leads to a climax with the theme taken up by strings. Tension quickly subsides, and the horn sounds out musingly as the movement draws to its close. Without pause, Renewal starts with animated activity on woodwind and strings, the lower strings unfolding a rhapsodic theme complemented by a whimsical idea on flute and harp. The main theme is taken by strings as a whole, the orchestration becoming more varied as the activity increases. Brass and percussion bring about an energetic climax, before the flute and harp idea sees the movement to its conclusion with a crescendo followed by a last surge of activity.
Summer Evening is a nocturne, beginning raptly in lower woodwind and strings, the texture opening out as melodic phrases are exchanged between solo woodwind while the music assumes greater expressive focus before hesitantly retreating into the shadows whence it emerged, with distant horn calls sounding across a vague expanse. Much the longest movement, Fauns and Dryads opens expectantly with an animated theme on strings and percussion (and with a hint of waltz rhythm). This contrasts with a lyrical melody on strings, dreamily taken up by flute and horn. Activity resumes in the woodwind, before an interlude for flute and harp against a hushed backdrop on strings. The initial theme reemerges, making way for the lyrical melody as elements of both are combined on the way to a powerful climax. This subsides into a recall of both themes as the music withdraws back into the atmospheric haze from the very opening—so bringing the work full circle.
