Frédéric Devreese (2 June 1929 – 28 September 2020) was a Belgian

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 Defi ...

of mostly orchestral, chamber and piano works that have been performed throughout the world; he was also active as a

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Music * Conductor (music), a person who leads a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra. * ''Conductor'' (album), an album by indie rock band The Comas * Conduction, a type of structured free improvisation ...

. Devreese is known for his film scores, including '' Benvenuta'' by André Delvaux and ''

The Cruel Embrace ''The Cruel Embrace'' (french: Les Noces barbares) is a 1987 Belgian drama film directed by Marion Hänsel. The film was selected as the Belgian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 60th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nomin ...

'' by Marion Hänsel.

Career

Born in Amsterdam, Devreese received his first musical training from his father, the composer-conductor (1893–1972). He studied composition with

Marcel Poot Marcel Poot (7 May 1901 in Vilvoorde, Belgium – 12 June 1988 in Brussels) was a Belgian composer, professor, and musician. Personal life His father, Jan Poot, was Director of the (Flemish Theatre) in Brussels. Early life Born to the dire ...

and conducting with in Brussels, composition with Ildebrando Pizzetti at the

Accademia Santa Cecilia The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia ( en, National Academy of St Cecilia) is one of the oldest musical institutions in the world, founded by the papal bull ''Ratione congruit'', issued by Sixtus V in 1585, which invoked two saints pro ...

in Rome from 1952 to 1955 and conducting with

Hans Swarowsky Hans Swarowsky (September 16, 1899September 10, 1975,) was an Austrian conductor of Hungarian birth. Swarowsky was born in Budapest, Hungary. He studied the art of conducting under Felix Weingartner and Richard Strauss. Jiří Vysloužil, ...

at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna in 1955–56. Devreese composed music for piano, chamber music, orchestra, choir, opera and ballet, but became widely known initially for his film scores. In addition, he wrote the imposed work for the Reine Elisabeth music competition in Brussels (1983, ''Concerto No. 4'') and the Adolphe Sax competition in Dinant (1998, ''Ostinati''). He served as conductor of the BRT Philharmonic Orchestra and guest-conducted orchestras throughout the world. For his recordings for Marco Polo's series ''Anthology of Flemish Music'', he was nominated for the Cultural Ambassador of Flanders in 1996–97.

Personal life

Devreese was married to Annie De Clerck.Interview with Ronny De Schepper
2 June 2014. Retrieved on 16 November 2016. He died of cancer.

Awards

Devreese received the following prizes: * Prijs Oostende Piano Competition (1949, for ''Concerto No. 1'') * Prix Italia (1964, for ''Willem van Saefthingen'', together with Mark Liebrecht) * Joseph Plateau Award (1990, for ''Het Sacrament'') *

Georges Delerue Award The Georges Delerue Award for Best Music, or Georges Delerue Prize / Prix Georges Delerue, is an award for the best film score. It is named after the French composer Georges Delerue, and was first awarded at the 1985 Film Fest Gent festival. Past ...

(1994, for ''La partie d'échecs'')

Honours

* Knight of the Order of the Crown * Knight of the Order of Leopold II He was knighted by Albert II of Belgium in 1996. His motto is ''Tenuto''.

Works

Stage

* ''Willem van Saefthinge'', TV opera (1962–63), libretto by Jean Francis * ''Le Cavalier bizarre'', opera (1976), libretto by Michel de Ghelderode

Orchestral

* ''Concerto No. 1'', piano, orchestra (1949) * ''Concerto'', violin, orchestra (1951) * ''Concerto No. 2'', piano, orchestra (1952) * ''Symphony'' (1952) * ''Concerto No. 3'', piano, orchestra (1955) * ''Mascarade Suite'' (1956) * ''Deux Mouvements'', string orchestra (1953–63) * ''Evocation Suite'' (1966) * ''Divertimenti'', string orchestra (1970) * ''Overture'', large orchestra (1976) * ''Concerto No. 4'', piano, orchestra (1983) * ''Pré'' (1983) * ''Benvenuta Suite'' (1984) * ''Gemini Suite'', 2 orchestras (1986), version of work for 2 pianos * ''L'Oeuvre au noir Suite'' (1988) * ''Masque'', brass band (1989) * ''Valse Sacrée'' (1989) * ''Thème et Danse'' (1989) * ''Belle Suite'', string orchestra (1991) * ''Variations and Theme'', string orchestra (1992) * ''Valse Sacrée'', string orchestra (1994) * ''La partie d'échecs Suite'', string orchestra (1995) * ''Ostinati'' (concertino), alto saxophone, accordion, string orchestra (1998) * ''Concertino'', cello, bandoneón, string orchestra (1998) * ''Concerto'', cello, orchestra (1999)

Chamber music

* ''Complainte'', oboe, piano (1953) * ''Divertimenti a due'', violin, cello (1968) * ''Divertimenti'', string quartet (1970) * ''Suite No. 1'', French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba (1970) * ''4 Short Waltzes'', 4 recorders (1979) * ''Suite No. 2'', French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba (1981) * ''5 Divertimenti'', 4 saxophones (1985) * ''Benvenuta'', violin, piano (1987) * ''Valse Sa'', ensemble (1987) * ''Sax Blues'', alto saxophone, piano (1989) * ''Benvenuta'', violin, cello, piano (1990) * ''Berceuse et Finale'', violin, piano (1991) * ''Three Dances'', 10 winds (1991) * ''Passage'', harmonica, jazz ensemble (1994) * ''Divertimenti a due'', guitar, violin (1996) * ''Suite'', alto saxophone, piano (1998) * ''Récitativo et Allegro'', trumpet, piano (2000) * ''Canti'', cello (or viola), piano (2000) * ''Blues'', trumpet, piano (2001) * ''Quartet'', violin, viola, cello, piano (2001) * ''3 Pieces'', flute/alto saxophone, piano (2002) * ''James Ensor Quartet (quartet no. 2''), 4 saxophones (2002) * ''Passage à 5'', guitar (+ electric guitar), violin, double bass, piano, accordion (2002)

Choral

* ''Four Old Flemish Songs'', mixed chorus (1966) * ''Ballade for Damien'', children's chorus, harmonica, string orchestra (1988)

Piano

* ''Mascarade'' (1953) * ''Prélude'' (1972) * ''Gemini Suite'', 2 pianos (1980), also version for 2 orchestras * ''Black and White (9 Easy Pieces)'' (1984) * ''Lullaby for Jesse'' (1992) * ''Short Waltzes'' (1997) * ''Mobile I'', piano 4 hands (2000) * ''Soundtrack 1-3 (30 pieces)'' (1972–2001) * ''9 Waltzes'' (2001)

Film scores (by director)

* 1965 – ''De Grafbewaker'' ( Harry Kümel) * 1965 – '' De man die zijn haar kort liet knippen'' ( André Delvaux) * 1966 – ''De Overkant'' (Herman Wuyts) * 1968 – ''

Un soir, un train ''One Night... A Train'' () is a 1968 Belgian-French drama film directed by André Delvaux, starring Yves Montand and Anouk Aimée. It tells the story of Mathias, a professor of linguistics at a university where the students have lively discussions ...

'' (André Delvaux) * 1971 – '' Rendez-vous à Bray'' (André Delvaux) * 1973 – '' Belle'' (André Delvaux) * 1976 – ''Du bout des lèvres'' (Jean-Marie Degèsves) * 1981 – ''Le filet américain'' ( Robbe De Hert, Chris Verbiest) * 1981 – ''De Witte Duif'' Véronique Steeno * 1983 – '' Benvenuta'' (André Delvaux) * 1987 – ''

'' ( Marion Hänsel) * 1988 – ''

L'Œuvre au noir ''The Abyss'' (french: L'Œuvre au noir) is a 1968 novel by the Belgian-French writer Marguerite Yourcenar. Its narrative centers on the life and death of Zeno, a physician, philosopher, scientist and alchemist born in Bruges during the Renais ...

'' (André Delvaux) * 1989 – ''Het Sacrament'' ( Hugo Claus) * 1990 – ''Il Maestro'' (Marion Hänsel) * 1994 – ''La partie d'échecs'' (Yves Hanchar) * 2001 – ''Pauline en Paulette'' (Lieven Debrauwer) * 2003 – ''Mein Name ist Bach'' (Dominique de Rivaz)

Discography

;As composer * ''Concerto Nos. 2-4'' – Daniel Blumenthal, piano; Frédéric Devreese/BRT Filharmonisch Orkest (Marco Polo: 8.223505, 1993) * ''Soundtrack 1-3'' – André De Groote, piano (Marco Polo: 8.223651, 1994) * ''Benvenuta; Un soir, un train; l'Oeuvre au noir; Belle (suites)'' – Frédéric Devreese/BRT Filharmonisch Orkest (Marco Polo: 8.223681, 1994) * ''Overture; Concerto No. 1; Gemini Suite (both versions); Valse Sacrée; Lullaby for Jesse; Black and White (9 Easy Pieces); Mascarade'' – Daniel Blumenthal, Robert Groslot, pianos; Walter Gillessen, Georges-Élie Octors, Fernand Terby, Frédéric Devreese/orchestras (Cyprès: 1619, 1999) * ''Three Dances'' – I Solisti del Vento (Galaxy Studios/I Solisti del Vento: 99-01, 1999) * ''Passage à 5'' – Soledad (Virgin Classics: VC 45625, 2003) * ''L'Oeuvre au noir'' – Frédéric Devreese/Nationaal Orkest van België (Barclay: 835 901) * ''Het Sacrament'' – Frédéric Devreese/BRT Filharmonisch Orkest (Indisc: 3654) * ''La partie d'échecs'' – (Virgin: 8040029) * ''Variations and Theme; Concerto (violin)'' – Henry Raudales, violin; Frédéric Devreese/orchestra; Dirk Brossé/Symfonisch Orkest van Vlaanderen (RG Productions: 87080) * ''Masque'' – James Watson/Desford Colliery Caterpillar Band (De Haske: DHM 3.002.3) * ''Suite No. 1'' – Beaux-Arts Brass Quintet (De Haske: DHR 5.005-3) ;As conductor (excluding his own music) * ''Tombelène; Concerto No. 1 (violin); Concerto (cello) (Godfried Devreese)'' – Guido de Neve, violin; Viviane Spanoghe, cello; BRT Filharmonisch Orkest (Marco Polo: 8.223680, 1994) * ''Symphony No. 1 in A minor, The Gothic; Poème Héroïque; In memoriam (Godfried Devreese)'' – Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223739, 1995) * ''Symphony in G; Concerto (violin); Dahomeyan Rhapsody (August De Boeck)'' – Guido de Neve, violin; Frédéric Devreese, Gerard Oskamp/Koninklijk Filharmonisch Orkest van Vlaanderen (Marco Polo: 8.223740, 1995) * ''Symphony No. 6; Pygmalion Suite; Symphonic Allegro; Vrolijke Ouverture (Marcel Poot)'' – Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223775, 1996) * ''Plinius' Fontein; Symphony Nos. 2-3; Meinacht (Arthur Meulemans)'' – Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223776, 1996) * ''Moto Perpetuo; Symphony Nos. 3, 5, 7 (Marcel Poot)'' – Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223805, 1996) * ''La Mer; Mélodies Écossaises; Alvar; Symphonic Overture No. 3 (Paul Gilson)'' – Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223809, 1996) * ''Concerto Nos. 1-2 (piano) (Arthur De Greef)'' – André De Groote, piano; Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223810, 1996) * ''Symphony No. 1; Mater Dolorosa Suite; Rossiniazata (Daniël Sternefeld)'' – Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223813, 1996) * ''Concerto (flute); Le roi des aulnes; Concerto (piano) (Peter Benoit)'' – Gaby Pas-Van Riet, flute; Luc Devos, piano; Koninklijk Filharmonisch Orkest van Vlaanderen (Marco Polo: 8.223827, 1996)

References

External links

FrédéricDevreese
composers21.com * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Devreese, Frederic 1929 births 2020 deaths 20th-century classical composers 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century Belgian male musicians 20th-century Dutch male musicians 21st-century classical composers 21st-century conductors (music) 21st-century Belgian musicians 21st-century male musicians Belgian classical composers Belgian film score composers Belgian conductors (music) Belgian male musicians Male classical composers Male film score composers Male conductors (music) Musicians from Amsterdam Georges Delerue Award winners