Paul Roussel

Roussel, Paul

Paul (Joseph Wilfrid Paul-André) Roussel. Critic, writer, radio producer; b Montreal 5 Nov 1924, d there 12 Sep 1977. After teaching himself piano, he studied theory at the CMM 1943-5 with Jean Vallerand. He was Vallerand's successor as critic 1946-54 on the Montreal daily Le Canada. He also contributed to the weeklies Notre Temps and L'Autorité and published some poems in reviews such as Gants du ciel. A member of the CBC staff 1955-77 he worked first as editor of La Semaine à Radio-Canada and then as a producer of recorded music programs, including the series 'Vienne la nuit,' devoted to the life and work of the great composers. He wrote Mozart raconté en 50 chefs-d'oeuvre (Montreal 1973), published in English as Mozart Seen through 50 Masterpieces (Toronto 1973). He also wrote Votre Discothèque (Montreal 1973) and was program annotator 1952-62 for the MSO. Roussel published the collection of short stories La Dame en coup de vent (Montreal 1971) and a translation of Eric McLean'sThe Living Past of Montreal under the title Le Passé vivant de Montréal (Montreal 1964).