Ysaye, Eugène |
| VIOLINIST, COMPOSER (BELGIUM) |
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BORN 12 Jul 1858, Liège - DIED 12 May 1931, Brussel GRAVE LOCATION Brussel: Ixelles Cimetière (Pelouse V) |
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Eugène Ysaye took violin lessons with his father when he was only five years old. When hewas seven he entered the Convervatory of Liège where Désiré Heynberg was his teacher. He was removed after his progress was insufficient, but when he was twelve he had taught himself to play so well that he was readmitted after Henri Vieuxtemps heard him. Now Henryk Wieniawski became his teacher and this went very well. He graduated and became the principal violinist of the Benjamin Bilse beer-hall orchestra (the future Berliner Philharmonic). When he was 27 years old he gave concerts in Paris and the next year he became a professor at the Conservatory in Brussels. Apart from teaching he continued his concert career, travelling in Europe, Russia and the United States. His friend César Franck dedicated a work to him and so did Claude Debussy. In 1886 he started the Ysaÿe Quartet which first performed Debussy's String Quartet. During the same year he married Louise Bordeau de Coutrai. They had three sons. Physical problems forced him to concentrate on teaching, conducting and composing. From 1918 to 1922 he was music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In 1924 his wife died and in 1927 he married his pupil Jeanette Dincin (26/8/1902-11/1967) who was 44 years his junior. She was a violinist and he had met her during his Cincinnati years. She cared for him during his last years and taught Queen Elisabeth of Belgium the violin after he died. Related persons • was a friend of Debussy, Claude • was a friend of Franck, César • was pupil of Massart, Lambert • has grave monument designed by Meunier, Constantin |
| Images |
 The grave of Eugène Ysaye at Ixelles Cimetière, Brussels. Picture by Androom (06 Mar 2004) |
Sources • Find-A-Grave • Cimitière d'Ixelles, Cercle D'Histoire Locale D'Ixelles, 1990 • Eugène Ysaÿe - Wikipedia (EN) |
