Ernest Jozef Leo van der Eyken (23 July 1913 in

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

– 6 February 2010 in

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

) was a

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

, conductor and

violist ; german: Bratsche , alt=Viola shown from the front and the side , image=Bratsche.jpg , caption= , background=string , hornbostel_sachs=321.322-71 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded by a bow , range= , related= *Violin family ...

. Van der Eyken received his first musical training at the age of five at the Music Academy in

Sint-Truiden Sint-Truiden (; french: link=no, Saint-Trond ; li, Sintruin ) is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium, and has over 41,500 inhabitants, which makes it one of the largest cities in Limburg. The muni ...

. At the age of seven he joined the music theory class of Karel Candael at the Royal Music Conservatory in

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

. In 1930 he obtained his first degree under Jan Broeckx, and in 1931, a further degree in

viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

studying with Napoleon Distelmans. Further studies at the Antwerp Conservatory were chamber music with Albert van de Vijver,

conducting Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary duti ...

with

Lodewijk De Vocht Lodewijk () is the Dutch name for Louis. In specific it may refer to: Given name Literature * Lodewijk Hartog van Banda (1916–2006), Dutch comic strip writer * Lodewijk Paul Aalbrecht Boon, (1912-1979) Flemish writer * Lodewijk van Deyssel, ...

harmony In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...

with Emile-Constant Verres and Edward Verheyden. Van der Eyken also studied

counterpoint In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tradi ...

and

fugue In music, a fugue () is a contrapuntal compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject (a musical theme) that is introduced at the beginning in imitation (repetition at different pitches) and which recurs frequently in the c ...

with

August de Boeck Julianus Marie August De Boeck (May 9, 1865 in Merchtem, Belgium – October 9, 1937 in Merchtem) was a Flemish composer, organist and music pedagogue. He was the son of organist and director Florentinus (Flor) De Boeck (1826-1892) Career Fro ...

instrumentation Instrumentation a collective term for measuring instruments that are used for indicating, measuring and recording physical quantities. The term has its origins in the art and science of scientific instrument-making. Instrumentation can refer to ...

with

Paul Gilson Paul Gilson (Brussels, 15 June 1865 – Brussels, 3 April 1942) was a Belgian musician and composer. Biography Paul Gilson was born in Brussels. In 1866, his family moved to Ruisbroek in the Belgian province of Brabant. There he studied the ...

, and during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

went to

Salzburg, Austria Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the ...

to study conducting with

Clemens Krauss Clemens Heinrich Krauss (31 March 189316 May 1954) was an Austrian conductor and opera impresario, particularly associated with the music of Richard Strauss, Johann Strauss and Richard Wagner. Krauss was born in Vienna to Clementine Krauss, the ...

and

Joseph Marx Joseph Rupert Rudolf Marx (11 May 1882 – 3 September 1964) was an Austrian composer, teacher and critic. Life and career Marx was born in Graz and pursued studies in philosophy, art history, German studies, and music at Graz University, earni ...

at the International Conducting School. In 1930 Van der Eyken made his debut as a violist with the Groot Symfonie-Orkest van de Wereldtentoonstelling 1930 (Grand Symphony Orchestra of the 1930 World Exposition) in Antwerp. Thereafter, he played in orchestras and chamber music ensembles of Antwerp: Orkest van de Koninklijke Vlaamse Opera (Orchestra of the Royal Flemish Opera), Nieuwe Concerten and Orkest van de Dierentuinconcerten. Between 1942 and 1944, he was assistant conductor of the Koninklijke Vlaamse Opera (Royal Flemish Opera). From 1952 and 1970, he taught violin and chamber music at the Music Academy in

Ekeren Ekeren () is a northern district of the municipality of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The suburb celebrated its 850th birthday in 2005; the name of the town was first mentioned in 1155, as "Hecerna". The name possibly originates from ...

. He founded the Philharmonisch Kamerorkest (Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra) in Antwerp was also the conductor. In the 1960s he was music editor responsible for music programs of the Flemish Radio and Television Network. Furthermore, he conducted the Jeugd en muziek-orkest (Youth and Music Orchestra) of Antwerp from 1963 to 1976 and served as guest conductor of the Philharmonic of Antwerp and the Orchestra of the Flemish Radio and Television Network. In 1977 he joined the

Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium (RASAB) is a non-governmental association which promotes and organises science and the arts in Belgium by coordinating the national and international activities of its constituent academies su ...

. Van der Eyken's œuvre consists of approximately 120 works, his style largely influenced by Flemish

post-romanticism Post-romanticism or Postromanticism refers to a range of cultural endeavors and attitudes emerging in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, after the period of Romanticism. Post-romanticism in literature The period of post-romantici ...

and the first wave of

modernism Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...

of the 20th century.Phaedra CD – Ernest van der Eyken ''In Flanders' Fields Vol. 47''
Retrieved 12 August 2010.

Selected works

;Stage * ''Elckerlic'', Opera (1963–1966); libretto by Luc Vilsen ;Orchestral * ''Overtura buffa'' for chamber orchestra (1936) * ''Poëma'' for string orchestra (1937) * ''Refereynen ende Liedekens'' (Refrains and Songs) for string orchestra (1964) * ''Salmodia accorata'' for chamber orchestra (1966) * ''Symfonie voor strijkorkest'' (Symphony for String Orchestra) (1967) * Symphony No. 2 (1975) * ''Elegie voor Bieke'' (Elegy for Bieke) for string orchestra (1983) ;Band * ''Refereynen ende Liedekens'' (Refrains and Songs) (1968) * ''Ricordanza'' (1975) * ''Twee Goya's'' (Two Goyas) (1990) ;Concertante * Concerto for piano and orchestra (1994) ;Chamber music * ''Vier gedichten van Guido Gezelle'' for narrator and string quartet (1937) * ''Twee melodieën'' (2 Melodies) for viola and piano (1942) * String Quartet No. 1 (1943) * ''Refereynen ende Liedekens'' (Refrains and Songs) for woodwind quintet (1968, 2002) * String Quartet No. 2 (1975) * ''Ballata'' for violin, or viola, or cello, or double bass and piano (1981) * ''Legende'' for violin and piano (1982) * Trio for flute, violin and viola (1989) * ''Saxofoonkwartet'' for 4 saxophones (1993) * Sonata for viola solo (1996) * ''Klarinettenkwartet'' for 4 clarinets (1997) * String Quartet No. 3 (1997) * ''Concerto per otto strumenti a vento'' (Concerto for Eight Wind Instruments) for flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons and horn (1999) ;Organ * ''Fuga'' (2000) ;Piano * ''Sonatine voor Sofie'' (Sonatina for Sofie) (1983) ;Vocal * ''Three Negro spirituals'' for medium voice and piano (1945) * ''Allerzielen'' for soprano and piano * ''Avondliedeke'' for soprano and piano * ''De tuin van Catherine'' for mezzo-soprano and piano ;Choral * ''Three Negro spirituals'' for mixed chorus and piano (1945) * ''De kinderen van de Soetewey'' for 3-part chorus and chamber ensemble

Discography

* ''Music for String Orchestra by Ernest van der Eyken: In Flanders' Fields Vol. 18'';

Phaedra Phaedra may refer to: Mythology * Phaedra (mythology), Cretan princess, daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë, wife of Theseus Arts and entertainment * ''Phaedra'' (Alexandre Cabanel), an 1880 painting Film * ''Phaedra'' (film), a 1962 film by ...

CD 92018 (1999) : ''Elegy for Bieke'' (1983) : ''Refereynen ende Liedekens'' (Refrains and Lieder), Suite of old-Flemish Songs (1964) : ''Poëma'' (1937) : ''Symphony for Strings'' (1967) * ''Ernest van der Eyken: In Flanders' Fields Vol. 47''; Phaedra CD 92047 (2006) : String Quartet No. 2 (1975) : ''Two Melodies'' for viola and piano (1942) : Trio per flauto, violino e viola (1989) : ''Sonatine voor Sofie'' (1983) : ''Concerto per otto strumenti a fiato'' (1999)

References

CeBeDeM – Ernest van der Eyken biography

External links

Ernest van der Eyken at CeBeDeM

Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel
now houses most works and manuscripts of van der Eyken, after the bankruptcy of CeBeDeM in 2015. {{DEFAULTSORT:Eyken, Ernest van der 1913 births 2010 deaths 20th-century classical composers Belgian classical composers Belgian male classical composers Belgian conductors (music) Belgian male conductors (music) Belgian classical violists Belgian opera composers Male opera composers Musicians from Antwerp Pupils of Joseph Marx 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century Belgian male musicians 20th-century violists