Biography (read more)
Eugène Ysaÿe was a Belgian violinist and composer of the late-Romantic period, born in Liège and trained in Brussels and Paris before building an international career as a touring virtuoso across Europe, Russia, and the United States. He taught at the Brussels Conservatoire, led the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as music director from 1918 to 1922, and composed chiefly for the violin, including six unaccompanied violin sonatas, a cello sonata, chamber music, and an opera in the Walloon language. Diabetes led to the amputation of his left foot in his later years, and he died in Forest, near Brussels, in 1931.
Celebrated in his time as “the King of the Violin,” Ysaÿe transformed violin performance through his expressive tone and rubato, and major composers of his era, including Debussy, Franck, Chausson, and Saint-Saëns, dedicated works to him. His six solo violin sonatas remain staples of the modern virtuoso repertoire, and the Queen Elisabeth Competition, one of the most prestigious international music competitions, was founded in his memory in 1951.
Sources:
Repertoire
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27: I. Grave. Lento assai— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27: II. Fugato. Molto moderato— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27: III. Allegretto poco scherzoso. Amabile— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27: IV. Finale con brio. Allegro fermo— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 1 in G Minor: I. Grave— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 1 in G Minor: II. Fugato— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 1 in G Minor: III. Allegretto poco scherzoso— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 1 in G Minor: IV. Finale con brio— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27 No. 1: I. Grave – Lento assai— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27 No. 1: II. Fugato – Molto moderato— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27 No. 1: III. Allegretto – Poco scherzoso aimabile— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27 No. 1: IV. Finale con brio – Allegro fermo— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 27: I. Obsession. Prélude. Poco vivace – Meno…— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 27: II. Malinconia. Poco lento— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 27: III. Danse des ombres. Sarabande. Lento -…— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 27: IV. Les Furies. Allegro furioso— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 2 in A Minor: I. Obsession. Prèlude— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 2 in A Minor: II. Malinconia— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 2 in A Minor: III. Danse des Ombres….— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 2 in A Minor: IV. Les furies— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 “Jacques Thibaud”: I. Obsession – Prelude -…— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 “Jacques Thibaud”: II. Malinconia (Poco lento)— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 “Jacques Thibaud”: III. Sarabande “Danse…— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 “Jacques Thibaud”: IV. Les Furies –…— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 5 in G Major, Op. 27: I. L’Aurore. Lento assai— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 5 in G Major, Op. 27: II. Danse rustique. Allegro giocoso molto…— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 5 in G Major: I. L’Aurore— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 5 in G Major: II. Danse rustique— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 5 in G Major, Op. 27 No. 5: I. L’aurore. Lento assai— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 5 in G Major, Op. 27 No. 5: II. Danse rustique— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 6 in E Major, Op. 27: Allegro giusto non troppo vivo – Poco lento -…— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27: Sonata No. 6 in E Major— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata in E Major, Op. 27 No. 6: I. Allegro giusto non troppo vivo— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata in E Major, Op. 27 No. 6: I. Allemande: Lento maestoso— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata in E Major, Op. 27 No. 6: II. Sarabande: Quasi lento— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata in E Major, Op. 27 No. 6: III. Finale: Presto ma non troppo— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 27: I. Allemanda. Lento maestoso— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 27: II. Sarabande. Quasi lento— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 27: III. Finale. Presto ma non troppo— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 4 in E Minor: I. Allemande— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 4 in E Minor: II. Sarabande— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27 / Sonata No. 4 in E Minor: III. Finale— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Sonata for Solo Violin No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 27: Ballade— Sergey Khachatryan
Performed by Sergey Khachatryan
Ysaÿe: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 27: Sonata No. 3 in D Minor “Ballade”— Hilary Hahn
Performed by Hilary Hahn
Ysaÿe: Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 27 No. 3 “Georges Enesco”— Antje Weithaas
Performed by Antje Weithaas
Sonata No. 3 in d minor Op. 27 for solo violin ‘Ballade’— Martha Argerich
Performed by Martha Argerich
Sonata No. 3 in D Minor for Solo Violin “Ballade”, Op. 27 (Live)— Martha Argerich
Performed by Martha Argerich
Violin Sonata No. 1 (Recorded 1908) : I. Andantino non troppo moderato— Bruno Canino
Performed by Bruno Canino
Violin Sonata No. 1 (Recorded 1908) : II. Allegretto giocoso— Bruno Canino
Performed by Bruno Canino
Solo Cello Sonata, Op. 28: I. Grave – Lento e sempre sostenuto— Camille Thomas
Performed by Camille Thomas
Solo Cello Sonata, Op. 28: II. Intermezzo – Poco allegretto e grazioso— Camille Thomas
Performed by Camille Thomas
Solo Cello Sonata, Op. 28: III. In modo di Recitativo – Adagio— Camille Thomas
Performed by Camille Thomas
Solo Cello Sonata, Op. 28: IV. Finale con brio – Allegro Tempo fermo— Camille Thomas
Performed by Camille Thomas
Sonata for 2 Violins in A Minor: I. Poco lento, maestoso – Allegro fermo— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud
Sonata No. 1 In G Minor: Allegretto Poco Scherzoso, Amabile— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud
Sonata No. 1 In G Minor: Finale Con Brio, Allegro Fermo— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud
Sonata No. 2 In A Minor: Obsession, Prélude. Poco Vivace— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud
Sonata No. 2 In A Minor: Danse Des Ombres, Sarabande— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud
Sonata No. 2 In A Minor: Les Furies, Allegro Furioso— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud
Sonata No. 3 In D Minor: Ballade, Lento Molto Sostenuto, In Modo Di Recitativo – Allegro In…— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud
Sonata No. 4 In E Minor: Allemanda, Lento Maestoso— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud
Sonata No. 4 In E Minor: Finale, Presto Ma Non Troppo— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud
Sonata No. 5 In G Major: Danse Rustique, Allegro Giocoso Molto Moderato – Moderato Amabile— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud
Sonata No. 6 In E Major: Allegro Giusto Non Troppo Vivo – Allegretto Poco Scherzando— Henning Kraggerud
Performed by Henning Kraggerud