# Guillaume Lekeu



## Aramis

I have just listened to his violin sonata. By accident, the reason for which I got the CD with it was another piece by other composer. Anyway, I listened to it. It's very good piece. He had to posses great sense of writing for violin. 

By the way, he died before his 24th birthday (January 20, 1870 – January 21, 1894).

And yet he has considerable oevure including orchestral music. I'm about to dig it soon. But chamber works first.


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## Air

I discovered Lekeu in very much the same way, through a two-fer of French and Belgian violin sonatas played by the great Arthur Grumiaux. Of course, I was initially interested in hearing the Faure, Franck, Ravel, and Debussy, but at the end, it was the Lekeu _Violin Sonata_ that shocked me and made the disk worth listening. The work is so characteristic of a French chamber work, but combines the spirit of the Late Romantic period as well. What results is a luminous orb of melody that encompasses the most subtle emotions into a work, that is still, essentially, very formal in nature. The writing for violin is as creative as any of its counterparts, such as the renowned Franck sonata, but at times, even more imaginative in style.

There is also a good CD that couples the _Piano Trio_ and _Piano Quartet_ together, another very rare recording. I will try to seek it out once I have the opportunity.

Lekeu, of course, is another classic example of a talented composer who died far too young. Belgium could have produced another Franck if he had lived but a decade longer.


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## Head_case

Aramis said:


> I have just listened to his violin sonata. By accident, the reason for which I got the CD with it was another piece by other composer. Anyway, I listened to it. It's very good piece. He had to posses great sense of writing for violin.
> 
> By the way, he died before his 24th birthday (January 20, 1870 - January 21, 1894).
> 
> And yet he has considerable oevure including orchestral music. I'm about to dig it soon. But chamber works first.


No surprise then. Lekeu has a pleasing string quartet in the light French vein which someone here introduced me to. It's very pleasing as a taster of Lekeu's oeuvre, and granted, it is no 24 year old masterpiece, but it is very pleasing company alongside some of the less known masterpieces of Francophone chamber music (think Goue; Ducass; Bonnal; Ropartz) in that late romantic era.


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## Heliogabo

I knew about Lekeau many years ago, when I read an article in a spanish review (Amadeus) wich called him "the Rimbaud of music". His music is very sad, nearly painful, but always plenty of expressiveness. Then, gives a paradoxical joy of listening.


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## tortkis

Heliogabo said:


> I knew about Lekeau many years ago, when I read an article in a spanish review (Amadeus) wich called him "the Rimbaud of music". His music is very sad, nearly painful, but always plenty of expressiveness. Then, gives a paradoxical joy of listening.


Agreed, his music is plaintive and mournful, but touchingly beautiful. I've been listening to the Arcana set of Lekeu's complete works, so far up to disc 3 (piano pieces, SQs, etc.) I had the Quatuor Debussy's album of his string quartets. The Camerata Quartet's playing on this set is also wonderful.

GUILLAUME LEKEU: LES FLEURS PÂLES DU SOUVENIR... COMPLETE WORKS (ARCANA)








Booklet: http://www.outhere-music.com/uploads/booklets/55d6ece745cad.pdf


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## Heliogabo

tortkis said:


> Agreed, his music is plaintive and mournful, but touchingly beautiful. I've been listening to the Arcana set of Lekeu's complete works, so far up to disc 3 (piano pieces, SQs, etc.) I had the Quatuor Debussy's album of his string quartets. The Camerata Quartet's playing on this set is also wonderful.
> 
> GUILLAUME LEKEU: LES FLEURS PÂLES DU SOUVENIR... COMPLETE WORKS (ARCANA)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Booklet: http://www.outhere-music.com/uploads/booklets/55d6ece745cad.pdf


I didn't knew about the existence of this set. It looks great! Thanks tortkis


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## Five and Dime

Thank you so much for the link to the booklet!

Those things are not always so easy to find for us downloaders!

A very good booklet, by the way.


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## Pugg

Five and Dime said:


> Thank you so much for the link to the booklet!
> 
> Those things are not always so easy to find for us downloaders!


As long as one dig enough in old threads, one finds small treasures.


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