Eugène Ysaÿe: conductor, composer, inspiration

It was a summer’s day – July 16, 1858 – in the beautiful city of Liège when Eugène Auguste Ysaÿe was born into a humble family, musical though they were. Little Eugène could take plenty inspiration from his direct relatives: his father was a violinist, pianist, composer and orchestra leader; his brother Joseph was a cellist, composer and director of the Arlon music academy; his sister Marie was a singer; and even his baby brother Theo made piano and composition his craft. In other words, if anyone were destined for a career in music, it was Eugène Ysaÿe. 

Eugène started playing the violin at the tender age of four, started at the Conservatory of Liège in 1865, left it after taking second place in a prize, and lost his mother just ten days after his tenth birthday. Who should take him under his wing but a certain Henri Vieuxtemps, one of Belgium’s greatest composers, who by way of Henryk Wieniawski taught him the ins and outs of the craft. His talent then took him to Berlin, where he became first violin in the Konzerthaus orchestra. 

His career eventually took him to Paris, where he met the likes of Camille Saint-Saëns, Gabriel Fauré and César Franck, who were inspired by his virtuosity and expressiveness. He also founded the Ysaÿe Quartet and even had a stint as the conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. 

However, probably more than for his playing or his conducting, Ysaÿe is remembered as a fantastic composer. You can probably already guess by his instrument of choice that people first think of the six sonatas for unaccompanied violin that he wrote, but he also wrote concerti and other works. Eugène even ventured into the operatic world, and this in the Walloon language. 

Most noteworthy might be one of his most famous pupils, Albert I’s queen consort, Elisabeth, for whom the internationally renowned Queen Elisabeth music competition is named. 

Photo: Creative Commons