Jean Roger-Ducasse
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Jean Jules Amable Roger-Ducasse (Bordeaux, 18 April 1873—Taillan-Médoc (Gironde) 19 July 1954) was a French composer, the star pupil and close friend of Gabriel Fauré at the Paris Conservatoire,[1] where he succeeded Fauré as professor of composition; in 1935 he succeeded Paul Dukas as professor of orchestration. His personal style was firmly rooted in the French school of orchestration, in an unbroken tradition from Hector Berlioz through Camille Saint-Saëns.
- Au Jardin de Marguerite, 1901-1905 Based on an episode in Goethe's Faust
- Sarabande, 1907 Symphonic poem with chorus.
- Suite française, Concerts Calonne, Paris, 1907
- Marche française, 1914
- Nocturne de printemps, 1920
- Nocturne d’hiver, 1921
- Epithalame for orchestra, 1923
- Orphée mimodrame lyrique, Opéra Garnier, June 1936 Based on his own libretto, closely following the Greek myth. The production was mounted by Ida Rubinstein.
- Cantegril, comédie lyrique, Paris Opéra-Comique, 6 February 1931. His most ambitious work, with thirty-two demanding roles, was directed by Masson and Ricou with Roger Bourdin as Cantegril.
- Petite Suite
- Variations sur un thème grave ("Pleasant Variations on a serious theme") for harp and orchestra.
- Ulysse et les sirènes ("Odysseus and the Sirens"), 1937
His piano pieces should be noted; his chamber music includes two string quartets[2], a piano quartet and a Romance for cello and piano.
Like Dukas, he was severely self-critical, destroying music that did not meet his exacting standards.
[edit] Notes
- ^ He also studied there with Emile Pessard and André Gedalge.
- ^ The second, his swan song, debuted 24 May 1953, at the Château de la Brède.
