Dupuis, Albert

Dupuis, Albert, eminent Belgian composer; b. Verviers, March 1, 1877; d. Brussels, Sept. 19, 1967. He studied piano, violin, and flute at the Verviers Cons, before pursuing training with d’Indy and others at the Paris Schola Cantorum (1897–99). Returning to his homeland, he won the Belgian Prix de Rome in 1903 with his cantata La chanson d’Halewyn f which was premiered in Brussels on Nov. 25 of that year; it later was rev. as the opera of the same title and premiered in Antwerp on Feb. 14,1914. In 1907 he became director of the Verviers Cons., which post he held until 1947. He distinguished himself as a composer for the theater, in a style reflecting his French training.

Works

DRAMATIC Opera : Idylle(Verviers, March 5, 1895); Bilitis (Verviers, Dec. 21, 1899); Jean- Michel (1901–02; Brussels, March 5, 1903); Martille (1904; Brussels, March 3, 1905); Fidelaine (Liege, March 30, 1910); Le chateau de la Breteche (Nice, March 28, 1913); La chanson d’Halewyn (Antwerp, Feb. 14, 1914; based on the cantata of the same title, 1903); La passion (Monte Carlo, April 2, 1916); La delivrance (Verviers, Dec. 19, 1918); La barrière (Verviers, Feb. 26, 1920); La victoire (Brussels, March 28, 1923); Un drame sous Philippe II (Liege, Dec. 29, 1926); Hassan (Antwerp, Nov. 5, 1931); Ce n’etait qu’un reve (Antwerp, Jan. 26, 1932). ORCH.: 2 syms. (1904; 1922–23); Fantaisie rhapsodique for Violin and Orch. (1906); Poeme oriental for Cello and Orch. (1924); Cello Concerto (1926); Epitaphe (1929); Aria for Viola and Orch. (1933); Piano Concerto (1940); Caprice rhapsodique (1941); Violin Concerto (1944). CHAMBER : Violin Sonata; String Quartet; 2 piano trios; Piano Quartet; many piano pieces. VOCAL: Oratorios; cantatas; choruses; songs.

Bibliography

J. Dor, A. D. (Liége, 1935); R. Michel, Un grand musicien beige meconnu: A. D. (Verviers, 1967).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire