Sternefeld, Daniël

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Sternefeld, Daniël

Sternefeld, Daniël, Belgian conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Antwerp, Nov. 27, 1905; d. Brussels, June 2, 1986. He studied flute and theory at the Antwerp Cons. (1918–24); then composition with Gilson and conducting with van der Stücken (1928); subsequently took lessons in conducting with Paumgartner, Krauss, and Karajan at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He was a flutist in the orch. of the Royal Flemish Opera in Antwerp (1929–38); then was its second conductor (1938–44) and principal conductor (1944–48); subsequently was chief conductor of the Belgian Radio and Television Orch. in Brussels (1948–72); also appeared as a guest conductor in Europe and South America. He taught conducting at the Antwerp Cons. (1949–71).

Works

DRAMATIC : Opera : Mater Dolorosa (1934; Antwerp, 1935). Ballet : Pierlala (1937); Antverpia (1975); Rossiniazata (1982). Other: Incidental music to various plays. ORCH .: Variations symphoniques (1928); Elegie (1931); Suite de vieilles chansons flamandes et wallonnes for Chamber Orch. (1934); 2 syms.: No. 1 (1943) and No. 2, Bruegelsymfonie (1981–83); Frère Jacques, variations for Brass and Percussion (1955); Divertimento for Wind Orch. (1980); Waaier (1984). CHAMBER : Étude-passacaglia for Harp (1979); Quintet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn (1986).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire