Roussel: Symphonies Nos. 1-4
The fact that Roussel's four symphonies aren't better known is a pity,  but surely the fault of his own countrymen. Symphonies were never a French  specialty, and of the four great French practitioners of the symphonic art at  the first decades of this century (Honegger, Roussel, Tournemire, and Magnard),  only Honegger seems to have firmly established himself in the international  repertoire. While Roussel's Third was championed by conductors like Charles  Munch and Leonard Bernstein, even in France the remaining works are neglected.  They are, however, one and all, excellently crafted pieces: tuneful, pithy, and  very listenable. If you like one, you'll like them all; so this first-rate set  is both good listening and good sense.--David Hurwitz