Van Durme, Jef
Van Durme, Jef
Van Durme, Jef, Belgian composer; b. Kemzeke-Waas, May 7, 1907; d. Brussels, Jan. 28, 1965. He was a pupil of Alpaerts at the Royal Flemish Cons, of Music in Antwerp and of Berg in Vienna (1931).
Works
dramatic: Opera: Remous,after Weter-ings (1936); The Death of a Salesman,after Arthur Miller (1954-55); King Lear (1955-57); Anthony and Cleopatra (1957-59); Richard III (1960-61). Ballet: De dageraad (1932-33); Orestes (1934-35; orch. suite, 1936-40). ORCH.: 2 symphonic poems {Hamlet,1929; Beatrice,1930); 2 Elegies (1933,1938); 6 numbered syms.: (1934; 1938-39; 1945-46; 1950-51; 1952; 1953); 1 unnumbered sym.: Breughel (1935-42); Poème héroïque (1935); 2 Sinfonie da camera (1937, 1949); 3 Ballads {In memoriam Alban Berg,1938; 1947-48; 1961); 2 piano concertos (1943, 1946); Symphonic Prologue (1944-45); Violin Concerto {1946-47);4 suites (1947; 1948-60; Van Gogh,1954; 1962); Sinfonietta for Strings (1962). CHAMBER: 3 violin sonatas (1928, 1938, 1947); 4 piano trios (1928, 1929, 1942, 1949); Sextet for Piano and Wind Quintet (1930); 5 string quartets (1932-33; 1937; 1945-8; 1948-53; 1953); Piano Quartet (1934); Wind Quintet (1951-52); Cello Sonata (1952). P i a n o: 2 sonatas (1946; 1952-53). VOCAL: De 14 stonden,oratorio (1931); songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire