Rousseau

(roos-s6), (1) Jean Jacques, Geneva, June 28, 1712—Ermenonville, near Paris, July 3, 1778. great writer; mainly self-taught in mus., but aiming to reform notation by the substitution of numerals for letters and note-heads, read before the Académie, 1742, a “‘ Di ertation sur la musique moderne’ (1743); his opera, “Les Muses Galantes,”’ had one private representation (1745); his revision of the intermezzo ‘‘La Reine de Navarre” (by Voltaire and Rameau) was a failure; but his opera “Le Devin du Village” (Gr. Opéra, 1752) was succ. for 60 years. wrote mus. articles for the ‘‘ Encyclopédie,” which were roughly handled by Rameau and others, but revised and re-pub. as ‘‘ Dictionnaire de musique’ (1768). In 1752 he participated in the “Guerre des Bouffons, between the partisans of Freach and Italian opera, R. siding with the Italianists and declaring that a French national music was impo ible and undesirable; for which the members of the opera burned him in effigy. “Pygmalion” (1773) was y. succ. being a novelty—a melodrama, all the dialogue spoken, the orch. furnishing interludes and background. Six new arias for “Le Devin du Village,” and a coll. of roo romances and duets “‘ Les consolations des miséres de ma vie” (1781), and fragments of an opera, ‘‘Daphnis et Chloé,” were pub. (1780). (2) Samuel Alex., Neuvemaison, Aisne, June 11, 1853—Paris, Oct. 1, 1904; pupil of Paris Cons., 1878, won the Prix Cre ent, 2d Rome; prod. i1-act comedy-opera “Dianorah’”’ (Op.-Com., 1879); 1891, won the Prize of the City of Paris, with opera ‘‘Merowtg’’; 1892, 1st cond. Th. Lyrique; 1808, prod. fairly succ. lyric drama ‘“‘La Cloche du Rhin’’; c. also a solemn ma , etc. Rou el (roos’-sél), Albert, b. Tourcoing, April 5, 1869—Royan, France, Aug. 23, 1937; composer; a nayal student, he made a voyage to China as an ensign; but resigned in 1894 and took up music, studying harmony with Gigout; 1898. entered the Schola Can to rum and studied under d’Indy till 1907; 1902-14, prof. of counterpoint at the Schola Can to rum. His comps. include symph. prelude, ‘‘Résur rection” (after Tolstoi’s novel); symph., sketch, “ Vendanges”’; “Le poéme de la Forét” (1904-06); symph. sketches ‘‘Evocations’? (1910-11), poem for orch. “La Menace” (1907), etc. Inspired by his visit to the East in 1909-10, R. prod. a Hindu ballet, “Padmavati,” which had a markedly succe ful prem iére at the Paris Op., 1923. Other productions include the orch. works, “‘Le Festin del’ Araignée’’ and “Pour une Féte de Printemps’; 4 symphonies; concerto for orch.; concerto for piano and orch.; “ Petite Suite”; ‘Psaume,’ for orch. with employment of choral voices; the ballet, ‘Bacchus and Ariadne’’; the opera, “La Nai ance de la Lyre,” which treats an allegorical theme; 2 sonatas for piano and vln.; trio for flute, viola and ’cello; quintet; sextet; and various piano pieces and smaller vocal compositions. He visited the OU. S. and took part in perfs. of his -. works at the Chicago Music Fest. under the patronage of Mrs. F. S. Coolidge in 1930.