Henri Vieuxtemps

Henri François Joseph Vieuxtemps February 17 1820 – June 6 1881 Was A Belgian Composer And Violinist Active In France. Vieuxtemps Was Born In Verviers Belgium Son Of A Weaver And Amateur Violinist And Violin-Maker. He Received His First Violin Instruction From His Father And A Local Teacher And Gave His First Public Performance At The Age Of Six Playing A Concerto By Pierre Rode. Soon He Was Giving Concerts In Various Surrounding Cities Including Liège And Brussels Where He Met The Violinist Charles De Bériot With Whom He Began Studies. In 1829 Bériot Took Him To Paris Where He Made A Successful Concert Debut Again With A Concerto By Rode But He Had To Return The Next Year Because Of The July Revolution And Bériot's Marriage To His Mistress Maria Malibran And Departure On Concert Tour. Back In Brussels Vieuxtemps Continued Developing His Violin Technique On His Own His Musicianship Deepened By Playing With The Deeply Musical Mezzo Soprano Pauline Garcia-Viardot Malibran's Sister. A Tour Of Germany In 1833 Brought Friendship With Louis Spohr And With Schumann Who Compared The Boy To Paganini. During The Following Decade He Visited Various European Cities Impressing With His Virtuosity Not Only Audiences But Also Famous Musicians Such As Berlioz And Paganini Himself Whom He Encountered At His London Debut In 1834. But He Had Aspirations Of Becoming A Composer As Well And Having Already Taken Lessons With The Respected Simon Sechter In Vienna Spent The Winter Of 1835–1836 Studying Composition With Antoine Reicha In Paris. His First Violin Concerto Later Published As Concerto No. 2 Dates From This Time.
Memorial In Verviers
Memorial In Verviers Vieuxtemps's Violin Concerto No. 1 Was Acclaimed When He Played It In Saint Petersburg On His Second Visit In 1840 And In Paris The Next Year Berlioz Found It "a Magnificent Symphony For Violin And Orchestra". Based In Paris Vieuxtemps Continued To Compose With Great Success And Perform Throughout Europe. With The Pianist Sigismond Thalberg He Concertized In The United States. He Was Particularly Admired In Russia Where He Resided Permanently Between 1846 And 1851 As A Court Musician Of Nicholas I And Soloist In The Imperial Theatre. He Founded The Violin School Of The Saint Petersburg Conservatory And Guided The Formation Of A "Russian School" Of Violinists. In 1871 He Returned To His Native Country To Accept A Professorship At The Brussels Conservatory Where His Most Illustrious Pupil Was Eugène Ysaÿe. A Paralytic Stroke Disabled His Right Arm Two Years Later And He Moved To Paris Again His Violin Class Being Taken Over By Henryk Wieniawski. Although He Seemed To Be Gradually Recovering From His Stroke Another One In 1879 Ended His Career As A Violinist For Good. He Spent His Last Years In A Sanatorium In Mustapha Supérieur Algeria Where His Daughter And Her Husband Had Settled And Continued To Compose Though Frustrated By His Inability To Play Or Far From The Musical Centres Of Europe Even Hear His Music Played By Others. The Bulk Of Vieuxtemps's Compositions Were For His Own Instrument Including Seven Concertos And A Variety Of Short Salon Pieces Though Towards The End Of His Life When He Had To Give Up The Violin He Often Turned To Other Instruments Writing Two Cello Concertos A Viola Sonata And Three String Quartets Among Other Things. It Is Because Of His Seven Violin Concertos However That Vieuxtemps Occupies An Important Place In The History Of The Violin As A Prominent Exponent Of The Franco-Belgian Violin School. Through His Own Concertos And His Advocacy Of The Concertos Of Beethoven He Also Played Beethoven's Sonatas And String Quartets And Mendelssohn He Added A More Classical Dimension To The Violin Repertoire Which Had Tended Towards Technically Brilliant But Often Shallow Variations And Fantasies On Popular Operatic Themes. Vieuxtemps Never Indulged In Sheer Virtuosity For Its Own Sake Like Some Of His Predecessors. List Of Works By Genre Violin And Orchestra * Violin Concerto No. 1 In E Major Op.10 1840 * Violin Concerto No. 2 In F♯ Minor “Sauret” Op.19 1836 * Violin Concerto No. 3 In A Major Op.25 1844 * Violin Concerto No. 4 In D Minor Op. 31 C.1850 * Violin Concerto No. 5 In A Minor “Le Grétry” Op.37 1861 * Violin Concerto No. 6 In G Major Op.47 1865 Op.1 Posthumous * Violin Concerto No. 7 In A Minor Op.49 “A Jenö Hubay” 1870 Op.3 Posthumous * Ballade Et Polonaise Op.38 C.1858 * Fantasia Appassionata Op.35 C.1860 * Fantaisie-Caprice Op.11 1838 * Hommage À Paganini Op.9 1845? * Norma Fantasia On The G String Op.18 C.1845 Other Orchestral * Cello Concerto No. 1 In A Minor Op.46 1877 * Cello Concerto No. 2 In B Minor Op.50 1879 Op.4 Posthumous * Duo Brilliant In A Major For Violin Cello Or Viola And Orchestra Or Piano Op.39 1864? * Overture With The Belgian National Anthem For Chorus And Orchestra Op.41 1863 Violin And Piano * Air Varié In D Major On A Theme From Bellini’s Il Pirata Op.6 C.1845 * Allegro De Concert Op.59 Op.13 Posthumous * Bouquet Américain – 6 Variations Sur Mélodies Populaires Op.33 C.1855 * Chansons Russes 1854? * 6 Divertissements D’amateurs On Russian Themes Op.24 C.1850 * Duo Concertante No. 1 On Themes From Auber’s Le Duc D’Olonne Op.13 C.1845 * Duo Concertante No. 2 On Themes From Weber’s Oberon Op.14 C.1845 * Duo Concertante No. 3 On Themes From Mozart’s Don Giovanni Op.20 C.1845 * Duo Concertante No. 4 On Themes From Meyerbeer’s L’étoile Du Nord Op.23 C.1845 * Duo Concertante No. 5 On Themes From Meyerbeer’s Le Prophète Op.26 C.1850 * Duos Concertantes Nos. 6-12 * Élégie In F Minor Op.30 ?1854 * Fantaisie Slave Op.27 C.1850 * Fantaisies Brilliantes Op.54 Op.8 Posthumous * Fantasia On Themes From Gounod’s Faust 1870 * 3 Fantasias On Themes From Verdi’s I Lombardi Ernani And Luisa Miller Op. 29 1854? * 3 Feuilles D’album Op.40 1864 * Greeting To America Op.56 * Impressions Et Réminiscences De Pologne Op. 57 Op.11 Posthumous * Introduction Et Rondo In E Major Op.28 C.1850 * Les Arpéges Caprice In D Major For Violin And Piano Or Orchestra With Cello Op.15 C.1845 * Ma Marche Funèbre Op. 58 Op.12 Posthumous * 3 Märchen Op.34 1859 * 6 Morceaux De Salon Op.22 1847? * 3 Morceaux De Salon Op.32 C.1850 * Old England Caprice On 16th- And 17th-Century English Airs Op.42 1866 * 3 Romances Sans Paroles Op.7 1841 * 4 Romances Sans Paroles Op.8 C.1845 * Salut À América For Violin And Piano Op.56 Op.10 Posthumous * Souvenir D’Amérique – Variations Burlesques Sur Yankee Doodle Op.17 1844 * Souvenir De Russie Fantasie Op.21 C.1845 * Suite In B Minor Op.43 1871 * Violin Sonata In D Major Op.12 C.1845 * Voies De Cœurs 6 Pièces Op.53 Op.7 Posthumous * Voix Intimes 6 Pensées Melodiques Op. 45 1876 Violin Solo * Divertissement * 36 Études Op.48 Op.2 Posthumous * 6 Études De Concert Op.16 C.1845 * Cadenzas To Beethoven’s Violin Concerto * 6 Morceaux Suivis D’un Capriccio Op.61 Op.15 Posthumous Viola * Élégie In F Minor For Viola Or Cello And Piano Op.30 ?1854 * Étude In C Minor For Viola Solo * Sonate Inachevée In B Major Allegro And Scherzo For Viola And Piano Op.60 Op.14 Posthumous * Viola Sonata In B Major Op.36 1863 Chamber * Félicien César David’s Le Desert La Nuit 1844 * Mozart Clarinet Quintet * Piano Trio On Themes From Meyerbeer’s L’Africaine * String Quartet No. 1 In E Minor Op.44 1871 * String Quartet No. 2 In C Major Op. 51 Op.5 Posthumous * String Quartet No. 3 In B Major Op.52 Op.6 Posthumous List Of Works By Opus Number Works With Opus Number Op.1 ~ Op.5 Not Used * Op.6 – Air Varié In D Major On A Theme From Bellini’s Il Pirata For Violin And Piano C.1845 * Op.7 – 3 Romances Sans Paroles For Violin And Piano 1841 * Op.8 – 4 Romances Sans Paroles For Violin And Piano C.1845 * Op.9 – Hommage À Paganini For Violin And Orchestra Or Piano 1845? * Op.10 – Violin Concerto No. 1 In E Major 1840 * Op.11 – Fantaisie-Caprice For Violin And Orchestra Or Piano 1838 * Op.12 – Violin Sonata In D Major C.1845 * Op.13 – Duo Concertante No. 1 On Themes From Auber’s Le Duc D’Olonne For Violin And Piano C.1845 * Op.14 – Duo Concertante No. 2 On Themes From Weber’s Oberon For Violin And Piano C.1845 * Op.15 – Les Arpéges Caprice In D Major For Violin And Piano Or Orchestra With Cello C.1845 * Op.16 – 6 Études De Concert For Violin Solo C.1845 * Op.17 – Souvenir D’Amérique – Variations Burlesques Sur Yankee Doodle For Violin And Piano 1844 * Op.18 – Norma Fantasia On The G String For Violin And Orchestra Or Piano C.1845 * Op.19 – Violin Concerto No. 2 In F♯ Minor “Sauret” 1836 * Op.20 – Duo Concertante No. 3 On Themes From Mozart’s Don Giovanni For Violin And Piano C.1845 * Op.21 – Souvenir De Russie Fantasie For Violin And Piano C.1845 * Op.22 – 6 Morceaux De Salon For Violin And Piano 1847? * Op.23 – Duo Concertante No. 4 On Themes From Meyerbeer’s L’étoile Du Nord For Violin And Piano C.1845 * Op.24 – 6 Divertissements D’amateurs On Russian Themes For Violin And Piano C.1850 * Op.25 – Violin Concerto No. 3 In A Major 1844 * Op.26 – Duo Concertante No. 5 On Themes From Meyerbeer’s Le Prophète For Violin And Piano C.1850 * Op.27 – Fantaisie Slave For Violin And Piano C.1850 * Op.28 – Introduction Et Rondo In E Major For Violin And Piano C.1850 * Op.29 – 3 Fantasias On Themes From Verdi’s I Lombardi Ernani And Luisa Miller For Violin And Piano 1854? * Op.30 – Élégie In F Minor For Viola Or Cello Or Violin And Piano ?1854 * Op.31 – Violin Concerto No. 4 In D Minor C.1850 * Op.32 – 3 Morceaux De Salon For Violin And Piano C.1850 * Op.33 – Bouquet Américain – 6 Variations Sur Mélodies Populaires For Violin And Piano C.1855 * Op.34 – 3 Märchen For Violin And Piano 1859 * Op.35 – Fantasia Appassionata For Violin And Orchestra Or Piano C.1860 * Op.36 – Viola Sonata In B Major 1863 * Op.37 – Violin Concerto No. 5 In A Minor “Le Grétry” 1861 * Op.38 – Ballade Et Polonaise For Violin And Orchestra Or Piano C.1858 * Op.39 – Duo Brilliant In A Major For Violin Cello Or Viola And Orchestra Or Piano 1864? * Op.40 – 3 Feuilles D’album For Violin And Piano 1864 * Op.41 – Overture With The Belgian National Anthem For Chorus And Orchestra 1863 * Op.42 – Old England Caprice On 16th- And 17th-Century English Airs For Violin And Piano 1866 * Op.43 – Suite In B Minor For Violin And Piano 1871 * Op.44 – String Quartet No. 1 In E Minor 1871 * Op.45 – Voix Intimes 6 Pensées Melodiques For Violin And Piano 1876 * Op.46 – Cello Concerto No. 1 In A Minor 1877 * Op.47 – Violin Concerto No. 6 In G Major 1865 Op.1 Posthumous * Op.48 – 36 Études For Violin Solo Op.2 Posthumous * Op.49 – Violin Concerto No. 7 In A Minor 1870 Op.3 Posthumous * Op.50 – Cello Concerto No. 2 In B Minor 1879 Op.4 Posthumous * Op.51 – String Quartet No. 2 In C Major Op.5 Posthumous * Op.52 – String Quartet No. 3 In B Major Op.6 Posthumous * Op.53 – Voies De Cœurs 6 Pièces For Violin And Piano Op.7 Posthumous * Op.54 – Fantaisies Brilliantes For Violin And Piano Op.8 Posthumous * Op.55 – Capriccio In C Minor “Hommage À Paganini” For Viola Solo Op.9 Posthumous * Op.56 – Salut À América For Violin And Piano Op.10 Posthumous * Op.57 – Impressions Et Réminiscences De Pologne For Violin And Piano Op.11 Posthumous * Op.58 – Ma Marche Funèbre For Violin And Piano Op.12 Posthumous * Op.59 – Allegro De Concert For Violin And Piano Op.13 Posthumous * Op.60 – Sonate Inachevée In B Major Allegro And Scherzo For Viola And Piano Op.14 Posthumous * Op.61 – 6 Morceaux Suivis D’un Capriccio For Violin Solo Op.15 Posthumous Works Without Opus Number * Cadenzas To Beethoven’s Violin Concerto * Chansons Russes For Violin And Piano 1854? * Divertissement For Violin Solo * Duos Concertantes Nos. 6-12 For Violin And Piano * Étude In C Minor For Viola Solo * Fantasia On Themes From Gounod’s Faust For Violin And Piano 1870 * Félicien César David’s Le Desert La Nuit 1844 * Mozart Clarinet Quintet * Piano Trio On Themes From Meyerbeer’s L’Africaine read less