About Eugène Ysaÿe

The Belgian violinist, composer and conductor Eugène Ysaÿe was born in Liège on 16 July 1858. He studied violin with H. Wieniawsky in Brussels among others and undertook numerous trips as a soloist. Ysaÿe was one of the great virtuosos of his time. While staying in Paris in 1883, he made the acquaintance of all great French composers of his time. Many of them dedicated their works to him, among them Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Elgar, Fauré and César Franck with whom he developed a close friendship. From 1886 he was professor at the Conservatoire of Brussels. In 1894 he brought the renowned Ysaÿe Concerts of Brussels into being, founded the string quartet Quatuor Ysaÿe and his own orchestra. In 1917 he emigrated to the USA where he worked as a conductor in Cincinnati, among others. After his return to Belgium Ysaÿe died in Brussels on 12 May 1931.