Norbert Rosseau

About the composer

Norbert Rosseau was born in Ghent (Belgium) in 1907. His parents worked as variety artists for a vaudeville company which mainly roamed through Italy; his father Maximilian was a violinist (and electrician) and his mother was a pianist. Norbert was taught violin by his father. During the first World War the family fled and lived in Itay for a long time. Norbert took violin classes with Armando di Piramo (first violinist of the orchestra of Monte Carlo, later leader of a well-known gipsy orchestra and jazz pioneer), performing already at the age of eight as refugee-prodigy. His career as a concert violinist ended in 1940 when he served as a soldier in the Belgian army, his right hand being injured by a bullet. From then on he dedicated himself to composition. The opus list of Norbert Rousseau counts 121 works. His oeuvre shows a broad interest in style periods, composition styles, poetry and literature. He composed orchestral works, works for soloists, choir and orchestra, chamber music, oratorios, masses, passions, ballets, and works with or for eletronics. In 1957 he was awarded the prize of the province of East Flanders for his Stabat Mater. He died in 1975, in Ghent.
Source: Studiecentrum Vlaamse Muziek – www.svm.be