Ernest Chausson

Symphony in B-flat op. 20

Ernest Chausson (1855-1899) composed his Symphony in B-flat Major, Op. 20 between 1889 and 1890, creating what would become his largest purely orchestral work and one of the most significant French symphonies of the late nineteenth century. Dedicated to his teacher César Franck, the symphony reflects Franck's influence through its use of cyclical form, in which thematic ideas recur and evolve across the three movements, while also revealing Chausson's own richly expressive voice, poised between French lyricism and the chromatic intensity of Wagner. Written during a period when French composers were seeking to establish a distinctive symphonic tradition independent of German models, the work helped demonstrate that the symphony could flourish in France alongside opera and orchestral tone poems. The symphony was premiered in Paris on April 18, 1891, at a concert of the Société Nationale de Musique and was warmly received by many of Chausson's contemporaries. Today, Symphony in B-flat Major, Op. 20 is widely regarded as Chausson's orchestral masterpiece and one of the finest achievements of the French symphonic repertoire, performed and recorded regularly. Instrumentation: 3.2+1(EH).2+1(CBl).3: 4.4.3.1: Timp: Hp(2): Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Reprint edition.