Eugene Ysaye (1858-1931)

Eugène Ysaÿe (16th July 1858 - 12th May 1931) playing Piece pittoresque by Chabrier, was a Belgian violinist, composer and conductor. His brother was pianist and composer Théo Ysaÿe (1865-1918). He was regarded as "The King of the Violin", or, as Nathan Milstein mentioned, "tzar". Ysaÿe was the possessor of a large and flexible tone, influenced by a considerable variety of vibrato - from no vibrato at all to very intense. He said, "Don't always vibrate, but always be vibrating". His modus operandi was, in his own words: "Nothing which wouldn't have for goal emotion, poesy, heart.". Possibly the most distinctive feature of Ysaÿe's interpretations was his masterful rubato. Ysaÿe's rubato is something apart; "Whenever he stole time from one note, he faithfully paid it back within four bars," said the conductor Sir Henry Wood, allowing his accompanist to maintain strict tempo under his free cantilena. This kind of rubato fits the description of Frédéric Chopin's rubato. Although Ysaÿe was a great interpreter of late Romantics and early modern composers - Max Bruch, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Cesar Franck, who said he was their greatest interpreter, he was admired for his Bach and Beethoven interpretations. His technique was brilliant and finely honed, and in this respect he is the first modern violinist, whose technique was without the shortcomings of some earlier artists. Ysaÿe was married twice: he was first wed to Louise Ysaÿe, and after her death in 1924 he became married to a pupil of his, Jeanette Dincin, 44 years his Junior. She was a violinist who in her teens had studied with prominent teachers such as Franz Kneisel, Leopold Auer, and Otakar Ševčík. Ysaÿe met her in 1922 while conductor of the Cincinnati Orchestra. She cared for him in his ailing years. Eugene's only request of her after he died was that she carry on her performances under his name. PUBLIC DOMAIN recordings - made in 1912 - well out of copyright.