August Louis Baeyens (5 June 1895 in
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
– 17 July 1966 in Antwerp) was a
Belgian violist
The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the v ...
and
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and def ...
.
Baeyens studied viola, harmony and counterpoint with Napoleon Distelmans and
August de Boeck
Julianus Marie August De Boeck (May 9, 1865 in Merchtem, Belgium – October 9, 1937 in Merchtem) was a Belgian people, Belgian composer, organist and music pedagogue. He was the son of organist and director Florentinus (Flor) De Boeck (1826-189 ...
at the Flemish Conservatory in Antwerp receiving a first prize in viola in 1916. Beginning in 1911, he was a viola player in Belgian orchestras including that of the French-language opera company in Antwerp, ''de Royal'', and in the orchestra of the Nieuwe Concerten.
['']Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians
''Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians'' is a major reference work in the field of music, originally compiled by Theodore Baker, PhD, and published in 1900 by G. Schirmer, Inc. The ninth edition, the most recent edition, was published in ...
'', Eighth Edition, Revised by Nicolas Slonimsky, Schirmer Books, New York, 1993, page 91.
In 1927, Baeyens founded the Antwerps Kamermuziekensemble (Antwerp Chamber Ensemble). The group performed a wide range of contemporary music before its demise in 1932. The ensemble is credited with many Belgian premieres including works by
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian and American composer, music theorist, teacher and writer. He was among the first Modernism (music), modernists who transformed the practice of harmony in 20th-centu ...
,
Alban Berg
Alban Maria Johannes Berg ( ; ; 9 February 1885 – 24 December 1935) was an Austrian composer of the Second Viennese School. His compositional style combined Romantic lyricism with the twelve-tone technique. Although he left a relatively sma ...
,
Darius Milhaud
Darius Milhaud (, ; 4 September 1892 – 22 June 1974) was a French composer, conductor, and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as ''The Group of Six''—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His composition ...
,
Francis Poulenc
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include mélodie, songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among th ...
,
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hunga ...
,
Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith ( ; ; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German and American composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advo ...
,
Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger (; 10 March 1892 – 27 November 1955) was a Swiss-French composer who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. Honegger was a member of Les Six. For Halbreich, '' Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher'' is "more even ...
,
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...
, and several Flemish composers including
Jef van Durme
Jef is a Dutch-language masculine given name primarily used in Belgium. It is a short form of Jozef/ Josef, used also in Breton. People with the name include:
* Jef Billings (1945–2016), American figure skating costume designer
* Jef Boeke (bor ...
and
Karel Albert.
[August Baeyens biography at CeBeDeM]
Retrieved 1 October 2011.
In 1932 Baeyens became secretary of the
Royal Flemish Opera (Koninklijke Vlaamse Opera) translating opera
libretti
A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major l ...
into Dutch among other duties.
[ Later, he was appointed director (1944–1948 and 1953–1958).]
Selected works
;Stage
* ''De dode Dichter'' (The Dead Poet), Ballet (1920)
* ''Liefde en de Kakatoes'' (L'amour et le cacatoes; Love and the Cockatoos), Grotesque in 1 act for soloists and orchestra (1928)
* ''Coriolanus'', Opera for radio (1941); libretto after William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
* ''De ring van Gyges'', Opera (1943)
* ''De triomferende min'' (Triumphant Love), Opera (1948); after the 1678 opera by Carolus Hacquart
;Orchestral
* ''Entrata'' (1917)
* ''Niobe'' (1918)
* Symphony No. 1 (1923)
* ''Vier kleine orkeststukken'' (4 Small Orchestra Pieces) (1923)
* ''Arlekijn'' (Arlequin) for chamber orchestra (1924)
* ''Kyklopen'' (Cyclopes) (1925)
* ''Sinfonia breve'' for small orchestra, Op. 24 (1928)
* Symphony No. 2 in F (1939)
* Symphony No. 3 in C (1949)
* ''Arkadia'' (Arcadia), Chamber Symphony for 19 soloists (1951)
* Symphony No. 4 (1952)
* ''Notturno'' (1953)
* Symphony No. 5 (1954)
* Symphony No. 6 in D (1955)
* Symphony No. 7 in one movement (1958)
* Symphony No. 8 (1961)
;Concertante
* ''Notturno'' for clarinet, bassoon, string orchestra and bass drum (1925)
* Concerto for viola and orchestra, Op. 54 (1956)
* Concerto for trumpet and orchestra (1959)
* Concerto for horn and orchestra (1960)
* ''Rhapsodie'' for clarinet and orchestra (1966)
;Chamber music
* String Quartet No. 1 (1922)
* ''Goudoogs verhaal'' (Goudoog's Tale) for violin and piano (1924)
* String Quartet No. 2 (1925)
* String Quartet No. 3 (1927)
* String Quartet No. 4 in G (1949)
* Woodwind Quintet (1950)
* String Quartet No. 5 (1951)
* Concertino for oboe, clarinet and bassoon (1951)
* ''Piranesi-Suite'' for flute and cello (1951)
* Sonata for violin and piano (1952)
* String Quartet No. 6 (1962)
* ''Etude No. 14'' for timpani and piano (1965)
;Piano
* ''Diogenes'' (1920)
* ''Jazz fantasie'' (1926)
* ''Sonate in A'' (1930)
;Vocal
* ''Drie kwartijnen'' for baritone and chamber orchestra (1924)
* ''Trois mélodies'' for baritone and piano (1927)
* ''Drie Van Ostaijenliederen'' (3 Songs after Van Ostaijen) (1930); words by Paul van Ostaijen
Paul van Ostaijen (22 February 1896 – 18 March 1928) was a Belgian Dutch-language poet and writer.
Nickname
Van Ostaijen was born in Antwerp to Dutch father and Flemish mother. His nickname was ''Mister 1830'', derived from his habit of walk ...
* ''La sonate d'amour'' for narrators and orchestra (1934)
* ''Een somber drinklied'' for baritone and orchestra (1938)
* ''Vanwaar ken ik uw gelaat'' for medium voice and orchestra (1938)
* ''Drie liederen'' (3 Songs) (1938)
* ''Klein gebed'' for medium voice and piano (1938)
* ''Mystiek'' for medium voice and orchestra (1938)
* ''Examen troost'' for medium voice and piano (1948)
* ''Thanatos' avondlied'' for bass-baritone and orchestra (1948)
* ''Barabbas'' for narrator and orchestra (1949)
* ''De nachtegale'' for medium voice and piano (1950)
* ''Piranesi'' for 10 narrators, flute and cello (1950)
* ''Sonnet waermede den Landtman'' for bass-baritone and orchestra (1950)
* ''Scherzo'' for soprano and orchestra (1951)
* ''Vijf gedichten uit French en andere Cancan'' for medium voice and piano (1951)
;Choral
* ''Lofzang aan de haven'' (Hymn of Praise for the Port; Cantique du port), Cantata for narrator, chorus and orchestra (1929)
* ''Sonatine'' for two-part chorus a cappella (1933)
References
External links
August Baeyens at CeBeDeM
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baeyens, August
1895 births
1966 deaths
20th-century Belgian classical composers
Belgian classical violists
Belgian opera composers
Belgian male opera composers
Musicians from Antwerp
20th-century Belgian male musicians
20th-century violists