Arthur Grumiaux

Baron Arthur Grumiaux (Template:IPA; 21 March 1921 – 16 October 1986) was a Belgian violinist, considered by some to have been "one of the few truly great violin virtuosi of the twentieth century".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He has been noted for having a "consistently beautiful tone and flawless intonation".<ref name="Artist">Template:Cite web</ref> English music critic and broadcaster, Edward Greenfield wrote of him that he was "a master virtuoso who consistently refused to make a show of his technical prowess".<ref name="Artist"/>

Early life

Born to a working-class family in the Belgian town of Villers-Perwin, on 21 March 1921,<ref name=dic190 /> Grumiaux was only three years old when his grandfather urged him to begin music studies. He entered the conservatoire in Charleroi at the age of six; the normal entry age was eleven. He studied violin and piano there until the age of eleven, when he graduated and moved to the Royal Conservatoire in Brussels to study violin.<ref name=tgv167 />

Career

Arthur Grumiaux (1965)

He variously has been described as having made his debut in Brussels at the age of 14,<ref name=tgv167 /> or in 1935,<ref name=dic190 /> although his debut is more commonly said to have occurred in 1940.<ref name=enbrit /><ref name=anobit /><ref name=viovir /> This performance was made in Belgium with the Brussels Philharmonic playing Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto.<ref name=anobit />

Due to the German invasion of his homeland, he next played publicly after liberation in 1945 with the Allied military entertainment organisation,<ref name=tgv168 /><ref name=conlam /> making his London debut later that year.<ref name=enbrit /><ref name=anobit /> In 1949 he was appointed professor of violin at the Brussels Conservatoire where he had once studied.<ref name=enbrit /><ref name=legvio /> He debuted in the United States in Boston in 1951, and toured the United States in the following year.<ref name=tgv168 /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1973 he was created a baron by King Baudouin of Belgium for his services to music.<ref name=legvio />

Death

He died of a sudden stroke in Brussels (Belgium) in 1986 at the age of 65.<ref name=dic190 />

Recordings

Grumiaux had a long-standing relationship with Philips Records, lasting more than 20 years, and recordings are available from them of him performing works by Handel, Bach, Vivaldi, Michael Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Bruch, Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saëns, Lalo, Henryk Wieniawski, and Johan Svendsen.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He was part of the Grumiaux Trio for many years, an ensemble consisting of Grumiaux, violist Georges Janzer and cellist Eva Czako. They recorded for Philips during the 1960s through to the mid-1970s, until Czako's death in 1978.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Their discography includes chamber music by Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Dvořák, Martinů and Mozart. In 1967 they recorded a highly-acclaimed interpretation of Mozart's String Trio in E-flat major, K. 563 for Philips that is regarded by critics as one of the greatest chamber music recordings in history.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> In 1974 the Trio recorded Mozart's string quintets, with the addition of violinist Arpad Gerécz and violist Max Lesueur, for Philips, which were included in the 1991 Complete Mozart Edition.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

A recording of Grumiaux's performance of one movement from Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, the "Gavotte en rondeaux" from the Partita No. 3, is included on the Voyager Golden Record, attached to the Voyager spacecraft, as a sample of the culture of Earth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This recording was chosen by renowned scientist Carl Sagan.

His 1969 recording of Alban Berg's Violin Concerto with the Concertgebouw Orchestra under Igor Markevitch was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Classical Performance – Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with or without orchestra) at the 11th Ceremony.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

His violins

He owned a Guarneri, the "Rose", made by Giuseppe Guarneri in 1744,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and played (but did not own<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) a Stradivarius, the "General Dupont", made in 1727.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also owned the "Museum", made by Giuseppe Guarneri in 1739, and the "Campoli", made by Giovanni Guadagnini in 1773.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Violin Competition

Logo of the competition

The Arthur Grumiaux International Violin Competition is held annually and takes place at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in Belgium.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was first held in 2008 under the name of "Bravo",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2015, the competition was renamed in honour of Arthur Grumiaux,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and is now called Concours International Arthur Grumiaux pour Jeunes Violonistes (International Arthur Grumiaux Competition for Young Violinists).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Further reading

• Arthur Grumiaux on Violin Channel
• 2018 finalists on Violin Channel
• 2018 prizes of Grumiaux Competition on Violin Channel
• Article and video on Canal C
• Un prestigieux concours international pour jeunes violonistes a lieu à Namur on RTBF website, Sonia Boulanger
• Grumiaux competition on lavenir.net
• Article in Turkish
• Grumiaux competition on crescendo-magazine.be

External links

• The way they played: Arthur Grumiaux, The Strad
• Bach's Chaconne on film: Arthur Grumiaux, The Strad
• Competition site, Arthur Grumiaux Violin Competition

• Arthur Grumiaux Discography