Description

ARTHUR DE GREEF (LOUVAIN, BELGIUM 10 OCTOBER 1862 – BRUSSELS, BELGIUM 29 AUGUST 1940)

 

 

 

 

Born in Louvain, he won first prize in a local music competition at the age of 11 and subsequently enrolled at the Brussels Conservatoire. His main teacher there was Louis Brassin, a former pupil of Ignaz Moscheles, although he also took lessons from other staffers at the institution, including Joseph Dupont, François-Auguste Gevaert and Fernand Kufferath. After graduating with high distinction from the Conservatoire at the age of 17, De Greef went to Weimar to complete his studies under Franz Liszt. He was a pupil of Liszt for two years. Following the Weimar sojourn, De Greef embarked on a career as a concert pianist, travelling widely. He was a friend of Edvard Grieg, whose Piano Concerto he had played publicly in 1898, and who called him “the best performer of my music I have met with”. In addition, he enjoyed the endorsement of Camille Saint-Saëns. British critic Jonathan Woolf has written: “De Greef was, in all respects, an intensely musical, non-sensationalist, eloquent and impressive musician and whilst not being averse to some of the interventionist tactics of his contemporaries (retouching of the score) remained sympathetically self-effacing”. De Greef composed a sizeable quantity of music, virtually all of which is now unknown. Among his works are two piano concertos. He was a devoted teacher, and taught piano at the Brussels Conservatoire for many years.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. a) Ariette ; b) To the Spring (Grieg) HMV D 1825, matrix Cc 18465 II 1929/12/10
2. Album Leaves, Op. 28, #3 Dance caprice (Grieg) HMV D 470 Ho 3023af 1918/03
3. Arabeske, Op. 18 (Schumann)  HMV D 49, matrix Ho 3025af 1918/03
4. Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26 Finale (Schumann) HMV D 49, matrix Ho 3022af 1918/03
5. Greef Danses Villageoises, #3 Danse en rond (Gretry – Greef) HMV DB 4004, matrix Cc 21061-4 1931/03/27
6. Humoresques, Op. 6, #2 Minuet (Grieg)  HMV E 301, matrix Bb 1897 1922/09/26
7. Lyric Pieces, Book 5, Op. 54, #3 March of the Dwarfs (Grieg) HMV D 470, matrix Ho 4354AM 1918
8. Lyric Pieces, Book 8, Op. 65, #6 Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (Grieg) HMV E 529, matrix Bb 11798-199 1 1927/11/07
9. Lyric Pieces, Book 10, Op. 71, #3 Puck (Grieg) HMV E 301, matrix Bb 1898-1 1922/09/26
10. Nocturne, Op. 15 #2 (Chopin) HMV D 1379, matrix Cc 7428 II 1925/11/27
11. Pictures from Folk Life, Op. 19, #2 Norwegian Bridal Procession (Grieg) HMV D 1412, matrix Cc 11773 II 1927/11/07
12. Polonaise #2, S. 2232 (Liszt) HMV D 1364, matrix Cc 11775 276-1 1927/11/07
13. Soiree de Vienne, S. 427 #6 (Schubert – Liszt)  HMV D 1412, matrix Cc 11800-1 1927/11/10
14. Stucke (5), Op. 18 #3, Etude in G (Moszkowski) HMV D 655, matrix Cc 1896-II 1922/09/26
15. Two Pieces, Op. 157, #2 La fileuse (Raff) HMV DB 4004, matrix Cc 21060-IV 1931/03/27
16. Waltz #1 (Grande Valse Brilliante), Op. 18 (Chopin) HMV D 1222, matrix Cc 8178-1 1926/03/24
17. Waltz #5, Op. 42 (Chopin) HMV D 1379, matrix Cc 12000-1 1927/11/07 or 10
18. Waltz #6, Op. 64 #1 (Minute) (Chopin) HMV D 1628, matrix Cc 11774-4 1927/11/10
19. Waltz #11, Op. 70 #1 (Chopin) HMV D 1628, matrix Cc 11774-4 1927/11/10
20. Waltz in E flat, Op. 34 (Moszkowski) HMV E 563, matrix Bb 18467-2, 68-3 1929/12/10