The story of a discovery
The European premiere of Ouverture sur des thèmes d'Atala on 15 February 2024 is the result of chance events and a wonderful collaboration. It all begins in January 2023, when the curator of the Music Department of KBR, Marie Cornaz, meets with Sophie Matkava, archivist at Bozar, hoping to find unpublished scores by pianist Théo Ysaÿe, the brother of Eugène Ysaÿe. Together and with the support of Christian Demoustiez, librarian of the Belgian National Orchestra, they quickly find the sought-after scores in several cardboard boxes in the library of the Philharmonic Society of Brussels, which is affiliated with Bozar. However, this was not the only discovery: under the title Atala, not one but two works were unearthed: on the one hand a cantata by a young Théo Ysaÿe, on the other hand a later composition, Ouverture sur des thèmes d'Atala, written by violinist Eugène Ysaÿe (1858-1931) as a tribute to his deceased brother. The Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union, which began in early 2024, was a perfect opportunity to bring this work back to life, more than a hundred years after its only performance in the United States. The idea became concrete. The Belgian National Orchestra and the choir of the Institut supérieur de musique et pédagogie de Namur (IMEP) enthusiastically accepted Bozar's invitation to take on this challenge.Two important works by Eugène Ysaÿe deposited at KBR in 2023
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KBR preserves an important Eugène Ysaÿe collection and in 2023 received several important manuscripts by the composer to be studied, digitized and preserved under the best possible conditions. After Ouverture sur des thèmes d'Atala, which Bozar deposited in April, KBR received in July from the King Baudouin Foundation the autograph score of Poème nocturne for violin, cello and orchestra. Finally, in October, all musical sources by Théo and Eugène Ysaÿe were merged with those of Atala, thus sealing an institutional partnership between KBR and Bozar.
Eugène Ysaÿe composed Ouverture sur des thèmes d'Atala in 1919 as a tribute to his deceased brother Théo, pianist and composer, and was inspired by a cantata that the latter had dedicated to Eugène himself in 1892.
Two events to (re)discover Ysaÿe
An international study day on the evolution and legacy of the composer at KBR
During this day, several speakers from the Belgian and international music world will meet at KBR to debate and discuss Ysaÿe's career, his legacy and the influence he exerts on composers today. Marie Cornaz (KBR) and Sophie Matkava (Bozar) will also tell the story of their discovery of the Ysaÿe score.A unique programme for a unique concert at Bozar
The concert will be a dialogue between the sparkling creativity of Belgian composers Kris Defoort, Jacqueline Fontyn, Wim Henderickx, Apolline Jesupret and Eugène Ysaÿe. In addition to the European premiere of Ouverture sur des thèmes d'Atala, a new score by composer Apolline Jesupret will also have its world premiere.PRACTICAL INFORMATION
International study day "Ysaÿe Rediscovered" (KBR) 15.02 | 9:00 – 16:00 Concertzaal De Greef KBR (Kunstberg 28, Brussels)
Concert Belgian National Orchestra Creations (Bozar) 15.02 | 20:00 Zaal Henry Le Bœuf Bozar (Ravensteinstraat 23, Brussels)