The French Symphony at the Fin de Siècle: Style, Culture, and the Symphonic Tradition (Eastman Studies in Music)

In this first full-length study of the symphony in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century France, Andrew Deruchie provides extended critical discussion of seven of the most influential and frequently performed works of the era, by Camille Saint-Saens, Cesar Franck, Edouard Lalo, Vincent d'Indy, and Paul Dukas. The volume explores how these symphonists modernized the art form yet preserved many of the formal and rhetorical conventions of the canon, reconciling, in particular, Beethoven's symphonic legacy with the musical culture, intellectual environment, and political milieu of fin-de-siecle France. Drawing on contemporary criticism, music histories, composers' prose, and unpublished sketches, Deruchie's readings offer fresh insights on issues of musical form and technique, and also move beyond the notes to consider questions of meaning. Andrew Deruchie is a lecturer in musicology at the University of Otago (New Zealand). The first extended study of seven beloved French symphonic masterpieces, from Saint-Saëns and Franck to d'Indy and Dukas.In this first full-length study of the symphony in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century France, Andrew Deruchie provides extended critical discussion of seven of the most influential and frequently performed works of the era, by Camille Saint-Saëns, César Franck, Édouard Lalo, Vincent d'Indy, and Paul Dukas. The volume explores how these symphonists modernized the art form yet preserved many of the formal and rhetorical conventions of the canon, reconciling, in particular, Beethoven's symphonic legacy with the musical culture, intellectual environment, and political milieu of fin-de-siècle France. Drawing on contemporary criticism, music histories, composers'prose, and unpublished sketches, Deruchie's readings offer fresh insights on issues of musical form and technique, and also move beyond the notes to consider questions of meaning. Andrew Deruchie is a lecturer in musicology at the University of Otago (New Zealand). The first extended study of seven beloved French symphonic masterpieces, from Saint-Sans and Franck to d'Indy and Dukas. In this first full-length study of the symphony in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century France, Andrew Deruchie provides extended critical discussion of seven of the most influential and frequently performed works of the era, by Camille Saint-Sans, Csar Franck, douard Lalo, Vincent d'Indy, and Paul Dukas. The volume explores how these symphonists modernized the art form yet preserved many of the formal and rhetorical conventions of the canon, reconciling, in particular, Beethoven's symphonic legacy with the musical culture, intellectual environment, and political milieu of fin-de-sicle France. Drawing on contemporary criticism, music histories, composers' prose, and unpublished sketches, Deruchie's readings offer fresh insights on issues of musical form and technique, and also move beyond the notes to consider questions of meaning. Andrew Deruchie is a lecturer in musicology at the University of Otago (New Zealand). "In this first full-length study of the symphony in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century France, Andrew Deruchie provides extended critical discussion of seven of the most influential and frequently performed works of the era, by Camille Saint-Saëns, César Franck, Édouard Lalo, Vincent d'Indy, and Paul Dukas. The volume explores how these symphonists modernized the art form yet preserved many of the formal and rhetorical conventions of the canon, reconciling, in particular, Beethoven's symphonic legacy with the musical culture, intellectual environment, and political milieu of fin-de-siècle France. Drawing on contemporary criticism, music histories, composers' prose, and unpublished sketches, Deruchie's readings offer fresh insights on issues of musical form and technique, and also move beyond the notes to consider questions of meaning." -- Publisher's description In this first full-length study of the symphony in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century France, Andrew Deruchie provides extended critical discussion of seven of the most influential and frequently performed works of the era, by Camille Saint-Saëns, César Franck, Édouard Lalo, Vincent d'Indy, and Paul Dukas. The volume explores how French symphonists reconciled Beethoven's legacy with the musical culture, intellectual environment, and political milieu of fin-de-siècle France, pursuing issues of musical form and also moving beyond the notes to consider questions of meaning. Andrew Deruchie is a lecturer in musicology at the University of Otago (New Zealand), specializing in French music of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries Contents 6 Acknowledgments 8 Introduction 10 Camille Saint-Saëns, Third Symphony 24 César Franck, Symphony in D Minor 64 Édouard Lalo, Symphony in G Minor 99 Ernest Chausson, Symphony in B-fl at Major 128 Vincent d’Indy, 161 Vincent d’Indy, Second Symphony 194 Paul Dukas, Symphony in C 236 Notes 268 Bibliography 282 Index 294 The,French,Symphony,at,the,Fin,de,Siècle Camille Saint-Saëns, Third symphony César Franck, Symphony in D minor Édouard Lalo, Symphony in G minor Ernest Chausson, Symphony in B-flat major Vincent d'Indy, Symphonie sur un chant montagnard français Vincent d'Indy, Second symphony Paul Dukas, Symphony in C.