Marcel Samuel-Rousseau
Encyclopedia
Marcel Samuel-Rousseau was a French
composer
, organist
, and opera director. He studied composition at the Paris Conservatoire and was awarded the Prix de Rome
in 1905. He was the organist at Saint-Séverin
from 1919–1922 and president of the Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique
from 1935-1953. For many years he was a professor of harmony at the Paris Conservatoire and artistic director of the Pathé opera company. From 1941-1944 he was director of the Opéra National de Paris.
As a composer Samuel-Rousseau was highly influenced by the works of Franck
and Fauré
. He tended to be more conservative in style than many of contemporaries but he was a master at chromatic harmony and had a strong sense for the dramatic. His compositions include operas, ballets, orchestral and piano music
and songs. His best works are his operas, which tend towards the exotic and are ambitious in scale. Two of his operas, Le Hulla (1920) and Kerkeb (1931), are based in the Orient
; with the latter's title role a Barber dancer in a harem. His opera Tarass Boulba (1919), is based on the legend of a Cossack warrior.
He also wrote one opera based on the Arthurian legend Le roi Arthur (1903).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, and opera director. He studied composition at the Paris Conservatoire and was awarded the Prix de Rome
Prix de Rome
The Prix de Rome was a scholarship for arts students, principally of painting, sculpture, and architecture. It was created, initially for painters and sculptors, in 1663 in France during the reign of Louis XIV. It was an annual bursary for promising artists having proved their talents by...
in 1905. He was the organist at Saint-Séverin
Saint-Séverin (Paris)
The Church of Saint-Séverin is a Roman Catholic church in the Latin Quarter of Paris, located on the lively tourist street Rue Saint-Séverin...
from 1919–1922 and president of the Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique
Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique
Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique is a French professional association collecting payments of artists’ rights and distributing the rights to the original songwriters, composers and music publishers.-History:...
from 1935-1953. For many years he was a professor of harmony at the Paris Conservatoire and artistic director of the Pathé opera company. From 1941-1944 he was director of the Opéra National de Paris.
As a composer Samuel-Rousseau was highly influenced by the works of Franck
Franck
- People :* César Franck , Belgian composer of the Romantic era* George Franck , University of Minnesota & New York Giant* Harry A...
and Fauré
Faure
Faure or Fauré is a French family name and may refer to:People:* Edgar Faure, French politician* Élie Faure, French art historian and essayist* Émile Alphonse Faure, lead battery pioneer* Cédric Fauré, French football striker...
. He tended to be more conservative in style than many of contemporaries but he was a master at chromatic harmony and had a strong sense for the dramatic. His compositions include operas, ballets, orchestral and piano music
Piano Music
Piano Music is a suite of four short pieces composed by Alexina Louie in 1982 for the Alliance for Canadian New Music Projects. The four pieces are The Enchanted Bells, Changes, Distant Memories, and Once upon a time....
and songs. His best works are his operas, which tend towards the exotic and are ambitious in scale. Two of his operas, Le Hulla (1920) and Kerkeb (1931), are based in the Orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
; with the latter's title role a Barber dancer in a harem. His opera Tarass Boulba (1919), is based on the legend of a Cossack warrior.
He also wrote one opera based on the Arthurian legend Le roi Arthur (1903).
Sources
- Paul Griffiths, Richard Langham Smith. The New Grove Dictionary of OperaNew Grove Dictionary of OperaThe New Grove Dictionary of Opera is an encyclopedia of opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volumes....
, edited by Stanley Sadie (1992), ISBN 0-333-73432-7 and ISBN 1-56159-228-5