Rosseau, Norbert (Oscar Claude)

Rosseau, Norbert (Oscar Claude) , Belgian composer; b. Ghent, Dec. 11, 1907; d. there, Nov. 1, 1975. He played violin as a child. His family emigrated to Italy in 1921, and he studied piano with Silvestri and composition with Respighi at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome (1925–28). His early works are cast in a traditional style of European modernism; later he halfheartedly experimented with dodecaphony and electronics.

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera: Sicilenne (1947); Les Violons du prince (1954). Ballet: Juventa (1957). ORCH.: Suite Agreste (1936); H2O, symphonic poem (1938; Liège, June 24, 1939); 2 concertos (1948, 1963); 2 syms.: No. 1 (1953) and No. 2, Sinfonia sacra, for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1960–63); Suite concertante for String Quintet, Winds, Harpsichord, and Timpani (1959); Concerto for Wind Quintet and Orch. (1961); Variations (1963); Viola Concerto (1964); Sonata a 4 (or 4 Violins and Strings (1966); Horn Concerto (1967). CHAMBER: Violin Sonatina (1949); 3 jouets for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1955); Wind Quintet (1955); Clarinet Sonatina (1956); String Quartet (1956); Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1956); Rapsodie for Flute, Bassoon, and Piano (1958); Serenade à Syrinx for Flute, Violin, Cello, and Harp (1959); Concertino for Piano, Double String Quartet, and Double Bass (1963); Pentafonium for Viola, Cello, Flute, Oboe, and Harpsichord (1964); Diptique for String Quartet (1971); Dialogue for Flute, Oboe, Viola, and Piano (1971); Piano Quartet (1975). VOCAL: Inferno, oratorio after Dante (1940); L’An mille, dramatic ode (1946); Incantations, cantata (1951); Maria van den Kerselare, Flemish oratorio (1952); Zeepbellen, chamber cantata, with Children’s Chorus (1958); Il Paradiso terrestre, oratorio after Dante (1968).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire