Louis van Waefelghem: Difference between revisions

Waefelghem was educated at the Athénée Royal in Bruges and then studied [[violin]] with [[Lambert Joseph Meerts]] at the [[Koninklijk Conservatorium (Brussels)|Koninklijk Conservatorium]] in [[Brussels]]. After finding success as a violinist in Germany and at the [[Hungarian State Opera House|Opera House]] in [[Budapest]], he moved to Paris in 1863 to pursue a career as a performer on [[viola]] and viola d'amore. He played in the orchestra of the [[Paris Opera]] in 1868 and also in the [[Pasdeloup Orchestra]]. Waefelghem was Examiner of the Viola at the [[Conservatoire de Paris]] before [[Théophile Laforge]] was appointed the first Professor of Viola in 1894. His reputation as a gifted violist quickly spread and, after the [[Franco-Prussian War]] (1870–1871), he traveled to [[London]] where he played in the [[Royal Opera, London|Royal Opera]] orchestra and at chamber concerts of the Musical Union with [[Joseph Joachim]], [[Leopold Auer]], [[Henri Vieuxtemps]], [[Camillo Sivori]], [[Pablo de Sarasate]], and others. From 1875 he was the violist of the Quatuor Marsick, along with [[Guillaume Rémy]], [[Jules Delsart]] and founder [[Martin Pierre Marsick]], one of the best and most famous string quartets in Paris of the time.<ref>[http://armand.marsick.pagesperso-orange.fr/martin6.htm Martin Pierre Marsick (page 6)] Retrieved 6 September 2010. {{frin iconlang|fr}}</ref> He also a member of the Quatuor Geloso<ref>Stowell, Robin: "From Chamber to Concert Hall, France and Belgium", ''[[Cambridge Companions to Music|The Cambridge Companion to the String Quartet]]'', pagep. 52. Cambridge University Press, 2003.</ref> and of [[Ovide Musin]]'s quartet with Metzger and Vander Gucht. Waefelghem was the principal violist with the [[Orchestre Lamoureux]] from 1881 to 1895.

In 1895 Waefelghem, along with colleagues [[Laurent Grillet]] ([[hurdy-gurdy]]), [[Louis Diémer]] ([[harpsichord]]) and [[Jules Delsart]] ([[viola da gamba]]), founded the ''Société des Instruments Anciens''. The ensemble gave their début at the [[Salle Pleyel]] in Paris on 2 May 1895 and performed throughout Europe with great success. Thereafter Waefelghem devoted himself entirely to the revival and study of the viola d'amore. He quickly became one of the greatest viola d'amore players of the 19th century, and being a highly enthusiastic researcher, restored to the world the complete library of music for the instrument which had sunk into oblivion.<ref name="Heron-Allen">{{Cite book | last =Heron-Allen | first =Edward | authorlink =Edward Heron-Allen |author2=Waldo Seldon Pratt |author3=Charles Newell Boyd |author4=John Alexander Fuller-Maitland | title =Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Volume V | publisher =Macmillan Publishers | date =1910 | location = | page =286 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = }}</ref>

* [[Louis Théodore Gouvy]] (1819–1898) – ''Sérénade vénitienne'' in E minor for viola and piano (1875)

* {{Cite book | last =Heron-Allen | first =Edward | authorlink =Edward Heron-Allen |author2=Waldo Seldon Pratt |author3=Charles Newell Boyd |author4=John Alexander Fuller-Maitland | title =Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Volume V | publisher =Macmillan Publishers | date =1910 | location = | page =286 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = }}

[[Category:MaleBelgian male classical violinists]]