Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Country

:

Netherlands

Birth

:

June 2, 1929 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Film

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

Frédéric Devreese was a Belgian composer and conductor who was born on June 2, 1929, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He was the son of the famous Belgian composer Godfried Devreese and the brother of the renowned violinist and composer Daniel Devreese. Frédéric Devreese grew up in a musical family and started playing the piano at a young age. He studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where he received a degree in piano and composition. Devreese's early works were influenced by the neoclassical style of Stravinsky and Hindemith. He gained recognition for his compositions in the 1950s, and his music was performed by leading orchestras in Europe and the United States. Devreese's music is characterized by its lyrical melodies, rich harmonies, and colorful orchestration. Devreese's most famous work is his Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra, which was written in 1967 for the Spanish guitarist Narciso Yepes. The concerto is a virtuosic showcase for the guitar, with a beautiful and expressive slow movement and a lively and rhythmic finale. The concerto has become a staple of the guitar repertoire and has been recorded by many leading guitarists. Devreese also wrote several operas, including The Two Orphans, which was premiered in 1951, and The Witch, which was premiered in 1961. His opera Benvenuta, based on the life of the Italian actress Benvenuta Cellini, was premiered in 1973 and was a great success. The opera was later made into a film, directed by André Delvaux, with music by Devreese. Devreese's other notable works include his Symphony No. 1, which was premiered in 1954, and his Symphony No. 2, which was premiered in 1963. His ballet Alice in Wonderland, based on the Lewis Carroll book, was premiered in 1972 and has been performed by many ballet companies around the world. Devreese also wrote music for several films, including The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short, which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1966. Devreese was also a respected conductor and served as the music director of the Royal Flemish Opera in Antwerp from 1981 to 1991. He conducted many leading orchestras in Europe and the United States, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Devreese received many awards and honors during his career, including the Order of the Crown from the Belgian government and the Prix Italia for his opera Benvenuta. He was also a member of the Royal Academy of Belgium and the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Frédéric Devreese died on September 31, 2020, at the age of 91. He left behind a rich legacy of music that continues to be performed and enjoyed by audiences around the world. His music is characterized by its beauty, lyricism, and emotional depth, and he will be remembered as one of the great composers of the 20th century.

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