Henri Vieuxtemps

Henri Vieuxtemps (Verviers on February 17th, 1820 - Mustapha, on June 6th, 1881) is a Belgian Violoniste , one of most famous of the 19th century.

Biography

His/her father, Violin maker and violonist amateur, give him his first lessons of violin. It occurs in public as of the six years age, and in the two years space it is acclaimed for its interpretations of a concerto of Rode, as well as double concerto for violin of Kreutzer, which it plays with its professor. After studies with Brussels, it goes with his friend Charles-Auguste de Bériot to Paris, where its beginnings as violonist are noticed. It returns one year later because of the introduction of the Monarchie of July and the marriage of Bériot. Returned in Brussels, Vieuxtemps improves its technique. During a voyage in Germany in 1833, it ties bonds of friendship with Louis Spohr and Robert Schumann, which compares it with Paganini.

The winter 1835-1836, it follows studies of composition to Vienna at Simon Sechter, and to Paris with Antoine Reicha. Its first composition, published later like Concerto N2 , date of this period. In 1837, in front of a very attentive public, he plays his Concerto N 1 with Saint-Pétersbourg. Resident in Paris, it continues with great success his work of composition.

After a voyage in America in 1843-1844, it Marie the same year with the pianist Viennese Josephine Eder. Two years later, it leaves for six years to Russia, as musician at the Court of Nicolas I {{er}}, and as soloist with the imperial Theater. At the time where he exerts this function, he composes four concertos for violin. He founds the school of violin of the Academy of Saint-Pétersbourg.

In 1850, he is again professor in Brussels - its most famous pupil is Eugene Ysaÿe. But, two years after only, it settles close to Frankfurt, and in 1866, one once more finds it in Paris, continuing his international career. Six years later, in 1871, it turns over to Belgium and becomes again professor with the Conservatoire of Brussels.

In 1873, whereas it overflows of energy and force, it is victim of an attack which leaves it partially paralyzed, which forces it to give up its activities of violonist. In spite of a temporary improvement, it leaves the Academy forever and then entrusts its class of violin to Henryk Wieniawski. It spends its last years to Paris and as from 1879 in a sanatorium to Mustapha (an old commune of Algiers), in Algérie, where his/her daughter lives with her husband. It continues to compose, frustrated to have to let interpret its works by other soloists.

Vieuxtemps was initially regarded as a large virtuoso. Also it has some difficulty of being made a place among the outstanding type-setters of the 19th century. However, Hector Berlioz itself rented “the beauty and the intelligent structure” of its works, recognized its impassioned and significant inspiration, and declared: “If he were not a so large virtuoso, one would acclaim it like a large type-setter. ” the emotion in its work is definitely more important than the effect.

Vieuxtemps is the founder of the famous school of the Franco-Belgian violin which still today remains in the academies of Liege, Brussels and Paris. Its birthplace of Verviers dedicated a place and a monument to him.

Its work

Vieuxtemps is the author of many works and, among more than one about sixty numbers of opus, one finds:

Seven concertos for Violin, of which in particular:

the 2nd in minor F sharp which sounds almost like an imitation of the 2nd concerto of Paganini. The talent shining and the original musical imagination of the Vieuxtemps young person show through nevertheless.
the 4th in minor D writes at the end of the years 1840, which is one of the most significant compositions of the repertory violonistic. The type-setter created four musical tables with a prolog at the beginning, which reflect all the life and the fights of a hero. He rejects the traditional traditional structure, with a composition in four movements and not three, connected thématiquement.
the 5th “Grétry” in the minor , the work most often played of Vieuxtemps, and in which he also seeks to move away from the traditional traditional concerto since he is in only one movement (allegro - adagio - allegro). This concerto balances perfectly the roles of the orchestra and the solo violin. The soloist part magistralement is magistralement written, of a great melody and technically very brilliant beauty. For the anecdote, will know that this work of most interesting also proposes two rates, the interpreter chooses one of them.

Of imaginations for violin and orchestra

an opening for orchestra

Two concertos for Violoncello

a great number of musics of living room - to note its variations on Yankee Doodle , COp. 17

Of the sonatas, of which a sonata for viola

Of the whims

Three string quartets

a series of twelve concerting duets

Of many variations on various topics

Three rates for the concerto of Beethoven

Literature

Jean-Theodore Radoux, " Vieuxtemps. Its life - Its oeuvres." , 2°Ed., Liege, Aug. Bénard, Printer and publisher.

External bonds

Site of the " Contest and Price Henri Vieuxtemps" in Verviers

Random links:

Han-in front of-Pierrepont | Dobunni | Janet Hopps Adkisson | Center studies of the tunnels | County of Yanggao