Grave silence surrounds us here at Eug\u00e8ne Ysa\u00ffe’s final resting place. Ysa\u00ffe. He was not just a musician. He was “The King of the Violin” to some. Others called him the “tsar”.
Eug\u00e8ne Ysa\u00ffe was born in Li\u00e8ge in 1858. His musical journey started early. At age five, he began violin lessons with his father. Ysa\u00ffe always credited his father. He said his father’s teaching was the base of all his knowledge even when he studied with masters.
In 1867, Ysa\u00ffe joined the Royal Conservatory of Li\u00e8ge. He studied with D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Heynberg. He won a shared second prize playing the Viotti 22nd Violin Concerto. He continued his studies in Brussels. There he spent two years with Henryk Wieniawski. Later, he studied with Henri Vieuxtemps in Paris.
These teachers placed him in the Franco-Belgian school of violin playing. This style valued elegance. It emphasized a full tone and precise technique. Bowing involved the whole forearm. The wrist and upper arm remained quiet. This was different from other schools of violin.
After graduating, Ysa\u00ffe became the principal violin in a beer-hall orchestra. It was the Benjamin Bilse orchestra. This orchestra later became the Berlin Philharmonic. Many famous musicians came to hear Ysa\u00e8e play. Joseph Joachim, Franz Liszt, and Clara Schumann were among them. Anton Rubinstein was also in attendance. Rubinstein asked Ysa\u00ffe to tour with him.
At 27, Ysa\u00ffe performed as a soloist for the Concerts Colonne in Paris. This marked the start of his success as a concert artist. The following year, he became a professor at the Brussels Conservatoire. He taught for the rest of his life. Even after leaving the Conservatory in 1898. His students included Josef Gingold and William Primrose. Nathan Milstein and George Enescu also studied with Ysa\u00ffe.
During his time as a professor, Ysa\u00ffe continued to tour extensively. He visited Europe, Russia, and the United States. Despite health issues, he excelled when performing. Composers like Claude Debussy and C\u00e9sar Franck dedicated works to him. Franck wrote his Violin Sonata in A for Ysa\u00ffe’s wedding.
In 1886, Ysa\u00ffe formed the Ysa\u00ffe Quartet. They premiered Debussy’s String Quartet. As he aged, Ysa\u00ffe focused more on teaching, conducting, and composing. He composed six Sonatas for Solo Violin. He also wrote a Sonata for Cello. Other works include Po\u00e8mes for various instruments and an opera. The opera was called Peter the Miner. It was written in the Walloon language.
Ysa\u00ffe was offered the position of music director of the New York Philharmonic in 1898. He declined due to his busy schedule. In 1918, he became the music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He stayed there until 1922.
Eug\u00e8ne Ysa\u00ffe died in 1931 in Brussels. He suffered from diabetes. It led to the amputation of his left foot. He was buried here at the Ixelles Cemetery.
Ysa\u00ffe’s playing was compelling and original. He had a large flexible tone. He used a variety of vibrato. Conductor Henry Wood praised Ysa\u00ffe’s tone quality. He said Ysa\u00ffe seemed to get more color out of a violin than anyone else. His masterful rubato was also distinctive. It allowed him to freely express emotion.
To honor Ysa\u00ffe, an international violin competition was created in Brussels. In 1951, it became part of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition.
Ysa\u00ffe’s legacy continues to inspire violinists. His compositions are still performed today. He remains one of the greatest violinists of all time.