Mathieu Crickboom -Sonata for violin and piano Op. 11, 2nd movement. Anna Ovsyanikova, Chris Hotson
Mathieu Crickboom would turn 150 years today!
Born in Verviers on March 2nd, 1871 Crickboom had a thorough music education from an early age with the leading specialists of the Wallonia region in Belgium. His childhood friend was Guillaume Lekeu, whose music he championed later in his life, after Lekeu’s untimely death.
Crickboom went on to study in Brussels with Eugène Ysaÿe, soon graduating winning all the Conservatoire prizes, also becoming a second violinist in the Ysaÿe Quartet and concertmaster of the orchestra of La Monnaie. As part of the quartet, he premiered string quartets by Debussy, César Franck, Vincent d’Indy.
As a soloist, he toured most of Europe and Russian, taking part in Siloti concerts in St. Petersburg and concerts in Pavlovsk. Great admirer of Russian music, he also had correspondence with César Cui. He’s worked with many pianists, however his usual stage partner was his wife Renée. Their two children were also musical.
While living in Paris, he became a protège of Ernest Chausson, who encouraged him to try his hand in composition. His Op. 1 is dedicated to Chausson.
In 1895-6 he was invited to take over directorship of the Catalan philharmonic society in Barcelona - he was responsible for concert programming and conducting concerts there for 9 seasons. While in Barcelona, he also performed chamber music with Pablo Casals, Enrique Granados and Isaac Albeniz.
On his return to Belgium in 1904, he devoted himself to education. He edited over 100 works for violin from Bach to Vieuxtemps, also published his highly successful method and compilations of studies. He had nearly 300 students during his career.
He continued composing, mainly for violin. His sonata for violin and piano was premiered by Ysaÿe brothers and some of his pieces were performed on the Belgian national radio during his life. Avid writer, he wrote his thoughts on music in many diaries and private journals. In 1914 he set up his own fortnightly magazine La Tribune Musicale of which he was an editor as well as a contributor of numerous articles. #violinistsofthepast