(http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_400/MI0002/870/MI0002870059.jpg?partner=allrovi.com)
Guillaume Lekeu, Belgian composer of the late nineteenth century, was born near the small town of Verviers. His father, a wool merchant, sent the young Guillaume to a school in Poiters, where the boy excelled in all subjects except religion and music. However, a few years later he began to take an interest in music, and at the age of 15 he published his Op. 1, an Andante et Variations for violin and piano. Traveling to Paris with his family, he was able to meet César Franck in 1889, who adopted Lekeu as his final pupil in music. Franck was incredibly impressed with the boy, and took Lekeu to Bayreuth for a Wagner festival, where Lekeu was spellbound and forever changed by the experience. After Franck's death, Lekeu put his short time of instruction to immediate use by composing chamber works and a few symphonic pieces. In 1891 he was able to secure second place in the Prix de Rome with his cantata Androméde. The following year he made contact with Eugène Ysaÿe, who commissioned works from such composers as Franck, Saint-Saëns, Ravel, and Debussy. Ysaÿe asked Lekeu if he had composed any chamber music, to which the surprising response was in the negative. Despite this answer, Ysaÿe commissioned from Lekeu two works: a piano quartet and a sonata for piano and violin. In October 1893, Lekeu dined at a restaurant and ate a dessert which contained contaminated water. He and his friends all took ill, but while the others recovered, Lekeu's health continued to worsen. On the day after his 24th birthday Guillaume Lekeu passed away.
The vast majority of Lekeu's music was written between 1891 and 1894. His more famous pieces include an adagio for string orchestra, a trio for piano/violin/cello, the Fantaisie sur deux airs populaires angevins, Trois Poèmes, and his most popular work, the famous Sonata for Violin and Piano. Many speculate that, had he only lived longer, Lekeu would have been without a doubt at the forefront of the music of the twentieth century. Only his untimely demise kept him from being able to make the most of his gifts.
[Article taken from All Music Guide]
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Couldn't find a Lekeu thread, so I started one. I'm sure he won't garner much interest here, but he deserves his own thread IMHO. What little I've heard from him (
Violin Sonata,
Adagio for string orchestra, a few others) have been quite moving and lyrically gorgeous. Definitely one of those composers who would have developed a highly individual style had he lived longer. Any fans of his music here?
Speaking of Lekeu, cross-posted this from the 'Purchases' thread:
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 26, 2015, 06:25:57 AM
Just bought:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81AoFsN35fL._SL1200_.jpg)
I have been anticipating a reissue of this series for quite some time. I bought this set for $36 (+ shipping) off Amazon Germany. Really looking forward to this series as Lekeu has been flying under my radar for years but all of these particular recordings have been out-of-print for quite some time.
Well, I'm just going to let some of Lekeu's music speak for itself. Here are a few selections:
https://www.youtube.com/v/nVI4ve5cLag
https://www.youtube.com/v/gdOMn468FN8
https://www.youtube.com/v/0CqhCxKeTs4
https://www.youtube.com/v/n2DOB9gcc8g
https://www.youtube.com/v/GQ7CVrAXffE
https://www.youtube.com/v/WdPeYfyGOPc
https://www.youtube.com/v/hCjNEqqMsAk
Quote from: Florestan on July 27, 2015, 12:45:50 AM
Yes. 8)
What are some of your favorite works? Anything you recommend to me listening to first whenever I get the
Complete Works box set?
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 27, 2015, 07:28:18 AM
What are some of your favorite works?
Given how small is his output, I could say: all of them. :D
The Violin Sonata, the Piano Trio and the String Quartet are outstanding.
Quote from: Florestan on July 27, 2015, 07:45:38 AM
Given how small is his output, I could say: all of them. :D
The Violin Sonata, the Piano Trio and the String Quartet are outstanding.
Very nice. Thanks. I've heard the
Violin Sonata thanks to the Ibragimova/Tiberghien performance on Hyperion. A beautiful work.
Quote from: Florestan on July 27, 2015, 07:45:38 AM
Given how small is his output, I could say: all of them. :D
The Violin Sonata, the Piano Trio and the String Quartet are outstanding.
+1
Yep, those three!
PS: Those are the only three that I have :P
Quote from: springrite on July 27, 2015, 07:58:58 AM
+1
Yep, those three!
PS: Those are the only three that I have :P
You should think about getting that
Complete set on Ricercar. It's $36 right now on Amazon Germany or at least that was my total after check out.
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00ZGUI78G?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 (http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00ZGUI78G?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00)
Being impulsive I couldn't resist the Ricercar set...
This sample was also convincing!
https://www.youtube.com/v/UBCgsue02iY
Quote from: Moonfish on July 27, 2015, 01:26:06 PM
Being impulsive I couldn't resist the Ricercar set...
This sample was also convincing!
https://www.youtube.com/v/UBCgsue02iY
Great to hear, Peter, but to make it 'official' don't forget to post your purchase in the appropriate thread. ;)
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 27, 2015, 01:45:43 PM
Great to hear, Peter, but to make it 'official' don't forget to post your purchase in the appropriate thread. ;)
ha ha! Do I have to? Ken will get on my case..!
Quote from: Moonfish on July 27, 2015, 01:47:18 PM
ha ha! Do I have to? Ken will get on my case..!
Ken is on vacation so we don't have to worry about him right now. ;)
His (unfinished) Piano Quartet is very nice.
Where he would have gone had he lived longer is anyone's guess, but at least he was on the road for not insignificant Romantic music. His orchestrated works like "Introduction & Adagio for Tuba and (Wind) Orchestra" and the symphonic etude for Hamlet are sound.
The Grove takes a more critical (but not disapproving) stance on his music. I think the Allmusic Guide amateur commentator is going way out on a limb about him being at the "forefront" of 20th century music if he'd have gone past 1900. :D
The cello sonata from the Ricercar set impressed me quite a lot. A large boned work with hints of both Faure and Magnard.
Lekeu´s and Arriaga´s are the most regrettable very early deaths of composers --- in terms of musical quality, of course, because every very early death, composer or not, is equally regrettable.
Schubert at 31..... a composing career of approximately 16 years that could easily have been tripled.
Quote from: Florestan on November 12, 2015, 04:24:13 AM
Lekeu´s and Arriaga´s are the most regrettable very early deaths of composers --- in terms of musical quality, of course, because every very early death, composer or not, is equally regrettable.
Ernst Mielck (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Mielck) too, and for
very early, Julian Scriabin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Scriabin) is quite regrettable too, of course.
Quote from: North Star on November 12, 2015, 04:29:16 AM
Ernst Mielck (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Mielck) too, and for very early, Julian Scriabin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Scriabin) is quite regrettable too, of course.
Ah yes, the tragic fate of Scriabin jr.... Never heard of Mielck. Are there any recordings which you would recommend?
Quote from: Florestan on November 12, 2015, 04:36:21 AM
Ah yes, the tragic fate of Scriabin jr.... Never heard of Mielck. Are there any recordings which you would recommend?
It's ages since I've listened to the CD on Ondine with Storgårds & Oramo (Op. 8 and the symphony that inspired
Sibelius to try his hand at the form) - time to revisit now. 8)
Concert Piece in D major, Op. 8, for violin and orchestra (1898)
Storgårds, Oramo & Finnish RSO
https://www.youtube.com/v/sASiNKPTwcg
Concert Piece in e minor, Op 9, for Piano and Orchestra
Liisa Pohjola, Hannu Lintu & Finnish RSO
https://www.youtube.com/v/S3UXFOUxg3k
Thanks, will listen after Haydn.
Supposedly he died from typhus, but it could have been many things that present the same way. Short of a modern post-mortem, we'll never really know.
I just got this:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41fjnyMkAAL.jpg)
... mostly for the Milhaud, but as it turns out, the two Lekeu songs for soprano and piano quintet are the standouts. They're both amazing!
Where to from here? I must confess I'm looking at the Ricercar box, but I don't know if it's wise to buy an 8-disc box on the strength of two five-minute works.
I like that disc too ...
Most of his more ambitious chamber and piano works are great, likewise much of the orchestral music, IMO. Having collected various discs, I finally decided for the box you mention & am satisfied with it. He could have become a composer of major importance, no doubt, yet there are many fine works in spite of his short life.
I bought the box some years ago based on just the Violin Sonata and have been happy with it.
Quote from: vers la flamme on October 18, 2020, 04:13:05 AM
I just got this:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41fjnyMkAAL.jpg)
... mostly for the Milhaud, but as it turns out, the two Lekeu songs for soprano and piano quintet are the standouts. They're both amazing!
Where to from here? I must confess I'm looking at the Ricercar box, but I don't know if it's wise to buy an 8-disc box on the strength of two five-minute works.
What are the songs in question ?
Quote from: André on October 18, 2020, 11:51:35 AM
What are the songs in question ?
They are called Nocturne (words by Lekeu himself) and Fragment (words by one Jules Sauveniêre). Can't say I know much more than that.
Nocturne appears on this disc:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71A7LKkOykL._SL425_.jpg)
along with Sur une tombe and Ronde. The same three songs are also included in the Ricercar set. Never heard Fragment, though and it's not in the 8cd box. Nevertheless, I highly recommend splurging for it. But if one prefers to just sample Lekeu's music, the Harmonia Mundi disc pictured above is an excellent choice.