Henri Vieuxtemps and the Belgian beer: Vieux Temps (Old Times)

October 15, 2005 at 7:31 PM

I like all 7 violonconcerto’s of Henri Vieuxtemps and his 2 celloconcerto’s and his chambermusic for violin and piano like Six Salon Pieces op.22 with nr.3 rêverie, which I have played on an audition, and Voices of the Heart op.53, played by Philippe Koch, violin and Luc Devos, piano, Cyp 3613 (by the way I saw Luc Devos in the semi’s of the Queen Elisabeth competitions playing together with the Belgian Ivanov, who was 2th in the final). After 2 delays there is a big change that I will play the first celloconcerto op.46 with an amateurorchestra. For that purpose – another purpose is to play one of his violin concerto’s, the 5th is the most played, IF Vieuxtemps has been played- I go just over the border of the Netherlands and Belgium and buy in a specialized shop Belgian specialty beer of the name Vieux Temps. Some of those crates I drink myself, because it is very good beer, but during a rehearsalweekend of an amateurorchestra I take a crate Vieux Temps- beer with me to promote the name of this composer, in the hope that some day that orchestra will play this composer. Even amateurviolinists sometimes don’t know the name of this composer. The name of Paganini is much more well known, even among people who don’t know much about classical music. After Mozart, Bach and Beethoven Paganini is even more well known than Brahms, but you seldom hear one of his 6 violinconcerto’s, from which the first one is the most often played IF Paganini v.c’s will be played.
With this orchestra from Delft I had no success during a weekend in Germany in Bad Bentheim, just over the border with the Netherlands and Germany, but another orchestra in Leiden now wants to play the first celloconcerto op.46 of Henri Vieuxtemps. Perhaps the orchestra want more beer like in Munchen in Germany at die Oktberfest before they will play Henri Vieuxtemps someday.
Next year on Saturday 21 oktober 2006 in Verviers in Belgian there is an international violin competition, where you can play the 2th violin concerto of Henri Vieuxtemps www.Vieuxtemps.be or like me listen to this great composer.