Théo Ysaÿe

Theo Ysaÿe (prop, Théophile; born March 2, 1865 in Verviers, † March 23, 1918 in Nice ) was a Belgian composer and pianist.

Life

At the instigation of his older brother, the violinist Eugène Ysaÿe, he studied at the conservatory of his native city of Liege. He continued his piano studies with Theodor Kullak then in Berlin, where he followed his brother Eugène, continued. He then studied composition with César Franck in Paris. The Brussels public, he brought near the then new Parisian style of composition.

After he had made ​​numerous concert tours with his brother Eugène few years, he had to give up this strenuous activity because of his failing health. He devoted himself increasingly to the composition, and in 1889 professor of piano at the Conservatory of Geneva.

From his extensive work, only little has been published. It includes works for piano, piano concertos, symphonies, symphonic poems, a requiem and chamber music. The music derives from the style of César Franck, with an emerging trend in the late work to Impressionism in the style of Claude Debussy.

Works (selection)

Orchestra

• Piano Concerto in E flat major, Op 9 (1907 )
• Symphony No. 1, Op 14
• Le cygne ( The Swan), Op 15
• Les abeilles ( The Bees ) op 17
• La forêt et l' oiseau (The Forest and Bird ), Op 18
• An unfinished Symphony No. 2

Chamber Music

• Quintet for Strings and Piano, Op 5
• Variations for 2 pianos, Op 10

Vowel

• Requiem (1906 )