Van Rossum’s Symphonie Concertante Op.11
is actually his first essay in the genre. (His second symphony Amnesty
Symphony Op.38 for soloists, chorus and orchestra dates from
1980 and is hitherto unrecorded, and his third one Le Souffle
de Némésis Op.48 was composed in 1981 for the
bi-centenary of the French Revolution.) It was commissioned by the then
BRTN (i.e. the Flemish Radio) and completed in 1966. Though originally
planned for large orchestra, the scoring had to be reduced to strings
and percussion to meet the forces available at the time of the first
performance which was conducted by Frederik Devreese with the composer
and Francis Orval as soloists. However, the composer soon re-scored
the piece for full orchestra and it was then duly recorded by the present
performers in 1970 (CULTURA 5069-3, re-issued in Belgium). Though by
no means his first orchestral piece, the Symphonie Concertante
Op.11 is a brilliant, virtuoso concerto for orchestra in which
horn and piano rather act as primus inter pares than as real
soloists. Its three substantial movements (a conflict-ridden first movement
followed by a dark, ruminating slow meditation capped by an exuberant,
dancing finale) encompass a huge range of emotions and abound with van
Rossum fingerprints.
Réquisitoire Op.28 (1973) for
brass and percussion earned its composer the First Prize at UNESCO’s
1981 International Composers Forum. It is van Rossum’s most radical
work so far. In this powerfully gripping score, van Rossum uses his
assembled forces to the full and relies on a wide range of contemporary
techniques to achieve stunning expressive impact such as menacing, ominous
glissandi or panic-stricken controlled aleatory. (Varèse
may sometimes be called to mind here). The mood of the piece is eerie,
awesome, violent, emotionally charged though utterly communicative and
deeply human. This is undoubtedly his most personal statement and one
of his most impressive achievements.
Eloquences Op.39, composed in 1980, was
written at the request of Francis Orval as test piece for the first
Concours International de Cor held in Liège in 1981. A
concerto in all but the name, Eloquences is a set of studies
for horn and orchestra exploiting the various characteristics of the
instrument, in turn declamatory, lyrical, exuberantly agile while exploring
a wide range of moods and emotions. A wonderful piece, technically demanding
but again warmly communicative and highly rewarding.
These recordings were also first made during the LP
era and still sound remarkably well, even if the recording of the Symphonie
Concertante inevitably shows its age. The performances are excellent.
This release provides for a fine survey of van Rossum’s varied orchestral
output and is therefore heartily recommended.
Hubert Culot
André De Groote
(piano)c; Francis Orval (horn)bc; National Orchestra
of Belgium; Brian Priestmanab; Frederik Devreesec