Ysaÿe, Eugène-Auguste (1858–1931)

Belgian violinist, conductor, and composer. One of the greatest and most individual virtuosos of his day, he toured as a soloist and conductor throughout Europe and America. Although he never studied composition formally, he mastered writing in a Romantic style.

He studied with his father, Nicolas Ysaÿe, then at the Liège Conservatory, and later with Henryk Wieniawski and Henry Vieuxtemps. Having already appeared in public in 1865, he played at Pauline Lucca's concerts at Cologne and Aachen, where he met Ferdinand Hiller and Joseph Joachim, and later, at Frankfurt, he came into touch with Joachim Raff and Clara Schumann. He was based in Paris 1883–86, becoming close to Debussy, Fauré, and Saint-Saëns. In 1886 he formed the Ysaÿe Quartet, and premiered Debussy's quartet in 1893. He was violin professor at the Brussels Conservatory 1886–98, and founded and conducted orchestral concerts in the Belgian capital. He toured extensively, first visiting England in 1889 and the USA in 1894, playing the Beethoven Concerto with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Admired everywhere for his skill and musicianship, he often performed the Franck Sonata dedicated to him and the Elgar Concerto. He conducted the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra 1918–22.

Works Opera Piére li Houîeu (in Walloon dialect, 1931).

Other eight violin concertos; Poème élégiaque, mazurkas, and other pieces for violin and piano.