Jean Absil(1893-1974): a Catalogue of the Orchestral Music

[Dundonnell]

JEAN ABSIL: A CATALOGUE OF THE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

1920:   Symphony No.1 in  minor, op.1: 35 minutes
1926:   "La mort de Tintagiles" for orchestra, op.3: 25 minutes
1928:   "Rhapsodie flamande" for orchestra or band, op.4: 11 minutes    + (orchestral version-Talent cd)
1932:   Berceuse for alto saxophone or viola or cello and small orchestra: 5 minutes
1933:   Violin Concerto No.1, op. 11: 22 minutes
1935:   Petite suite for chamber orchestra or band, op.20: 8 minutes
1936:   Symphony No.2, op. 25: 25 minutes   +  (Musique en Wallonie cd)
1937:   "Peau d'Ane" for soloists, speakers and orchestra, op.26: 95 minutes
              Piano Concerto No.1, op. 30: 14 minutes    + (Musique en Wallonie cd)
1938:   Rhapsodie No.2 for orchestra: 34: 15 minutes
1939:   "Hommage a Lekeu" for orchestra, op.35, No.2: 6 minutes
             "Ulysse et les Sirenes" for baritone, two narrators, chorus and small orchestra, op. 41: 20 minutes
1940:   Concertino for Cello and Orchestra, op. 42: 13 minutes
             Serenade in five movements for chamber orchestra, op.44: 17 minutes    +  (Music in Wallonia cd)
             "Trois poemes de Tristan Klingsor" for middle voice and small orchestra, op. 45: 8 minutes
             "Philatelie" for soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass and fourteen instruments, op. 46: 26 minutes
1941:   "Les benedictions" for soloists, chorus, orchestra and organ, op.48: 90 minutes
1942:   "Chansons de bonne humeur" for women's chorus and orchestra, op.49: 12 minutes
             Symphonic Variations for orchestra, op.50: 20 minutes
             Viola Concerto, op.54: 16 minutes
1943:   "Les chants du mort" for soprano, contralto, tenor, bass and orchestra, op. 55: 27 minutes
              "Rhapsodie roumaine" for Violin and Orchestra, op.56: 12 minutes    *
              Symphony No.3, op.57: 21 minutes     *
1944:   Concerto for Wind Quintet and String Orchestra, op. 60: 11 minutes
1945:   "Jeanne d'Arc" for orchestra, op. 65: 15 minutes
1949:   "Le zodiaque" for piano, soloists, chorus and orchestra, op.70: 32 minutes
              "Le miracle de Pan" for orchestra, op. 71: 22 minutes
1950:   "Pierre Breughel l'Ancien" for soloists, chorus, narrator, orchestra and organ, op. 73: 60 minutes
              "Epouvantail" for orchestra, op. 74: 12 minutes
1951:   "Les meteores" for orchesra, op. 77: 23 minutes
1952:   "Rites" for band, op. 79: 14 minutes    +  (Rene Gailly cd)
1953:   "Rhapsodie bresilienne" for orchestra or band, op. 81: 20 minutes   *   +  (band version-Rene Gailly cd)
1954:   "Mythologie" for orchestra, op.84: 20 minutes
             "Croquis sportifs" for band, op.85: 14 minutes
1955:   Divertimento for saxophone quartet and orchestra, op.86: 20 minutes
             "Introduction et Valses" for orchestra, op. 89: 12 minutes
1956:   "Legendes" for band, op. 91: 12 minutes
              Suite for small orchestra, op.92: 18 minutes
1957:   "Suite bucolique" for string orchestra, op.95: 16 minutes
1958:   Fantaisie Concertante for Violin and Orchestra, op. 99: 15 minutes   *
1959:   Rhapsodie No.5 "Roumaniana" for band, op.102: 8 minutes  + (Ottavo cd)
1959/61:"Danses bulgares" for band, op. 103: 10 minutes
1960:   "Rhapsodie bulgare" for orchestra, op.104: 9 minutes
              Two Ritual Dances for small orchestra, op. 105: 7 minutes
             "Triptyque" for small orchestra, op.106: 9 minutes
1962:   Fantaisie-Humoresque for Clarinet and String Orchestra, op. 113: 5 minutes
1963:   Fanfares for band, op. 118: 7 minutes
1964:   Concertino for Viola and Orchestra, op. 122: 11 minutes
             Violin Concerto No.2, op. 124: 20 minutes
1966:   "Colas Chacha" for orchestra
             "Nymphes et faunes" for band, op. 130: 7 minutes
1967:   Piano Concerto No.2, op. 131: 15 minutes    *
             Allegro brillante for Piano and Orchestra, op.132: 2 minutes
1969:   Symphony No.4, op. 142: 18 minutes   *
1970:   Symphony No.5, op. 148: 16 minutes
1971:   Fantaisie-Caprice for alto saxophone and band, op.152: 5 minutes  +  (Audite an Rene Gailly cds)
             Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra, op.155: 10 minutes
             Ballade for Alto Saxophone, Piano and Small Orchestra, op.156: 9 minutes
1972:   "Deities" for orchestra, op.160: 22 minutes
1973:   Piano Concerto No.3, op. 162: 15 minutes    *

Source:

http://www.cebedem.be/en/composers/a/27-absil-jean

[Dundonnell]

Oh dear

This is embarrassing Somehow or other I had missed Eric's post of June 3rd in which he listed all of Absil's compositions.

I do apologise profusely to him. My catalogue is a supplement to his

[eschiss1]

actually no, just symphonic/brass/concertante/chamber/piano - missed quite a bit even so- I didn't even try to attack his vocal output (and probably his output without opus as well ) - but really no worries.

[Dundonnell]

We have both used the same source, Eric: the Belgian Centre for Music Documentation. which is an official body under the auspices of the Belgian Government.

It is worth pointing out however that the work catalogues provided are not entirely reliable. In some cases the lists are woefully incomplete. The timings given for individual works are at best dubious.

I have no difficulty if a website has an incomplete list of a composer's compositions as long as it makes it explicitly clear that it is incomplete

[eschiss1]

Yep- they were missing, I think- need to check, and have to head off to work... op.71 I think- for example...
I also added some information from the Belgian Royal Library and a couple of other sources when I could, and had to rationalize (in the sense used outside of psychology) some conflicting information where possible... (e.g. found out that Sonatine no.2 for piano which had been recorded - under the wrong opus number I think, or the wrong opus number was given in a review- anyhow, that needed checking first... - was, indeed, the same work as another with the same opus number and a different name for a different instrumentation...) (but those mostly didn't get into the orchestral music, except e.g. for the movement listings for symphony 2 etc.) But my list is, as I said, not complete either still...