Devreese, Godefroid

Devreese, Godefroid, Belgian conductor,

teacher, and composer, father of Frederic Devreese; b. Kortrijk, Jan. 22, 1893; d. Brussels, June 4, 1972. He studied at the Brussels Cons, with Ysaye and Cesar Thomson (violin) and Rasse and Gilson (composition). He was a conductor of the Antwerp opéra (1919–20). He also was a violinist with the Concertgebouw Orch. in Amsterdam (1925–30) and director of the Mechelin Cons. (1930–58), concurrently giving courses at the Brussels Cons. (1944–59).

Works

DRAMATIC B a l l e t : Tombelene(1927).ORCH.: Poeme hero’ique (1923); Symphonic Variations on a Popular Scottish Theme (1923); Concertino for Cello and Chamber Orch. (1926); In memoriam (1928); 2 violin concertos (1936,1970); Piano Concerto (1938); 4 syms.: No. 1, Gothique (1944), No. 2, Goethe, for Chorus and Orch. (1952), No. 3, Sinfonietta (1962), and No. 4 (1965–66); Rhapsodie for Clarinet and Orch. (1948); Allegro for Trumpet and Orch. (1950); Suite (1953); Sinfonietta for Strings (1962); 6 Variations on a Popular Theme for Strings (1963); Capriccio for Violin and Strings (1963). CHAMBER: Violin Sonata (1924); Cello Sonata (1926); String Quartet (1937); Piano Trio (1950). Piano : Scherzo de concert (1921); Danse lente (1924); 7 sonatinas (1944–45); Sonata (1945). VOCAL: Stabat mater for Soprano, Chorus, and Orch. (1965); Te Deum for Chorus and Orch. (1967; Brussels, March 30, 1973); songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire