(b. 2 June 1929, Amsterdam – d. 28 September 2020, Brussels).
Belgian composer, born in the Netherlands, of mostly orchestral, chamber and piano works that have been performed throughout the world; he was also active as a conductor.
Mr. Devreese initially studied with his father, the composer and conductor Godfried Devreese (b. 1893 – d. 1972). He later studied composition with Marcel Poot and conducting with René Defossez in Brussels, composition with Ildebrando Pizzetti at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome from 1952–55 and conducting with Hans Swarowsky at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna in 1955–56.
Among his honours were the Prijs of the municipality of Ostend (1949, for Concerto No. 1), the Prix Italia (1964, for Willem van Saefthingen, shared with Mark Liebrecht), the Georges Delerueprijs from the Internationaal Filmfestival van Vlaanderen-Gent (1990, for Het Sacrament), the Joseph Plateauprijs from the Internationaal Filmfestival van Vlaanderen-Gent (1990, for Het Sacrament), and the Klara Carrièreprijs (2006). In addition, he wrote the imposed work for the Koningin Elisabethwedstrijd in Brussels (1983, Concerto No. 4) and for the competition Adolphe Sax in Dinant (1998, Ostinati). He was also nominated as Cultural Ambassador of Flanders (1996–97, for his recordings in the series Anthology of Flemish Music for the label Marco Polo).
As a conductor, he often led the Brussels Philharmonic and served as a guest conductor of orchestras throughout the world.
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
Willem van Saefthingen (opera for TV, libretto by Jean Francis), 1962–63
Le Cavalier bizarre (opera, libretto by Michel de Ghelderode), 1976
ORCHESTRAL:
Concerto No. 1, piano, orchestra, 1949
Concerto, violin, orchestra, 1951
Concerto No. 2, piano, orchestra, 1952
Symphony, 1952
Concerto No. 3, piano, orchestra, 1955
Mascarade Suite, 1956
Deux Mouvements, string orchestra, 1953–63
Evocation Suite, 1966
Divertimenti, string orchestra, 1970
Overture, large orchestra, 1976
Concerto No. 4, piano, orchestra, 1983
Pré, 1983
Benvenuta, 1984 (concert suite from film score)
Gemini Suite, 2 orchestras, 1986 (version of work for 2 pianos)
L'Œuvre au noir, 1988 (concert suite from film score)
Masque, brass band, 1989
Valse Sacrée, 1989
Thème et Danse, 1989
Belle, string orchestra, 1991 (concert suite from film score)
Variations and Theme, string orchestra, 1992
Valse Sacrée, string orchestra, 1994
La Partie d'échecs, string orchestra, 1995 (concert suite from film score)
Ostinati (concertino), alto saxophone, accordion, string orchestra, 1998
Concertino, cello, bandoneón, string orchestra, 1998
Concerto, cello, orchestra, 1999
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Complainte, oboe, piano, 1953
Divertimenti a due, violin, cello, 1968
Divertimenti, string quartet, 1970
Suite No. 1, French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, 1970
Four Short Waltzes, 4 recorders, 1979
Suite No. 2, French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, 1981
Five Divertimenti (quartet no. 1), 4 saxophones, 1985
Benvenuta, violin, piano, 1987
Valse Sa, ensemble, 1987
Sax Blues, alto saxophone, piano, 1989
Benvenuta, violin, cello, piano, 1990
Berceuse et Finale, violin, piano, 1991
Three Dances, 10 winds, 1991
Passage, harmonica, jazz ensemble, 1994
Divertimenti a due, guitar, violin, 1996
Suite, alto saxophone, piano, 1998
Récitativo et Allegro, trumpet, piano, 2000
Blues, trumpet, piano, 2001
Canti, cello, piano, 2001
Quartet, violin, viola, cello, piano, 2001
Three Pieces, flute/alto saxophone, piano, 2002
James Ensor Quartet (quartet no. 2), 4 saxophones, 2002
Passage à 5, guitar (+ electric guitar), violin, double bass, piano, accordion, 2002
CHORAL:
Vier oud vlaamse liederen, mixed chorus, 1966
Ballade for Damien, children's chorus, harmonica, string orchestra, 1988
PIANO:
Mascarade, 1953
Prélude, 1972
Gemini Suite, 2 pianos, 1980 (also version for 2 orchestras)
Black and White (Nine Easy Pieces), 1984
Lullaby for Jesse, 1992
Short Waltzes, 1997
Mobile, piano 4 hands, 2000
Soundtrack 1–3 (30 pieces), 1972–2001
Nine Waltzes, 2001
FILM SCORES (DIRECTOR):
De Grafbewaker, 1965 (Harry Kümel)
L'Homme au crâne rasé, 1965 (André Delvaux)
De Overkant, 1966 (Herman Wuyts)
Un Soir, un train, 1968 (André Delvaux)
Rendez-vous à Bray, 1971 (André Delvaux)
Belle, 1973 (André Delvaux) (a concert suite was arranged)
Du bout des lèvres, 1976 (Jean-Marie Degèsves)
Le Filet américain (België door de vleesmolen), 1981 (Robbe De Hert, Chris Verbiest)
Benvenuta, 1983 (André Delvaux) (a concert suite was arranged)
Les Noces barbares, 1987 (Marion Hänsel)
L'Œuvre au noir, 1988 (André Delvaux) (a concert suite was arranged)
Het Sacrament, 1989 (Hugo Claus)
Il Maestro, 1990 (Marion Hänsel)
La Partie d'échecs, 1994 (Yves Hanchar) (a concert suite was arranged)
Pauline & Paulette, 2001 (Lieven Debrauwer)
Mein Name ist Bach, 2003 (Dominique de Rivaz)
DISCOGRAPHY (as composer)
Concerto No. 2; Concerto No. 3; Concerto No. 4. Daniel Blumenthal, piano; Frédéric Devreese/Brussels Philharmonic (Marco Polo: 8.223505, 1993)
Soundtrack 1–3. André De Groote, piano (Marco Polo: 8.223651, 1994)
Benvenuta (suite from film score); Un Soir, un train (suite from film score); L'Œuvre au noir (suite from film score); Belle (suite from film score). Frédéric Devreese/Brussels Philharmonic (Marco Polo: 8.223681, 1994)
Overture; Concerto No. 1; Gemini Suite (both versions); Valse Sacrée; Lullaby for Jesse; Black and White (Nine Easy Pieces); Mascarade. Daniel Blumenthal, piano; Robert Groslot, piano; Frédéric Devreese/orchestra; Walter Gillessen/orchestra; Georges-Élie Octors/orchestra; Fernand Terby/orchestra (Cypres Records: CYP 1619, 1999)
Three Dances. I Solisti del Vento (Galaxy Studios/I Solisti del Vento: 99-01, 1999)
Passage à 5. Soledad (Virgin Classics: VC 45625, 2003)
L'Œuvre au noir. Frédéric Devreese/Orchestre National de Belgique (Barclay: 835 901)
Masque. James Watson/Desford Colliery Caterpillar Band (De Haske: DHM 3.002.3)
Suite No. 1. Beaux-Arts Brass Quintet (De Haske: DHR 5.005-3)
Het Sacrament. Frédéric Devreese/Brussels Philharmonic (Indisc: 3654)
Variations and Theme; Concerto (violin). Henry Raudales, violin; Frédéric Devreese/orchestra; Dirk Brossé/Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen (RG Productions: 87080)
La Partie d'échecs. (Virgin: 8040029)
DISCOGRAPHY (as conductor, excluding his own music)
Tombelène; Concerto No. 1 (violin); Concerto (cello) (Godfried Devreese). Guido De Neve, violin; Viviane Spanoghe, cello; Brussels Philharmonic (Marco Polo: 8.223680, 1994)
Symphonie No. 1 en la mineur, 'Symphonie gothique'; Poème héroïque; In memoriam (Godfried Devreese). Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223739, 1995)
Symphonie en sol majeur; Concerto (violin); Rhapsodie dahoméenne (August De Boeck). Guido De Neve, violin; Frédéric Devreese/deFilharmonie; Gerard Oskamp/deFilharmonie (Marco Polo: 8.223740, 1995)
Symfonie Nr. 6; Pygmalion (suite); Allegro symphonique; Vrolijke Ouverture (Marcel Poot). Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223775, 1996)
Plinius' Fontein; Symfonie Nr. 2; Symfonie Nr. 3; Mei Nacht (Arthur Meulemans). Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223776, 1996)
Moto perpetuo; Symfonie Nr. 3; Symfonie Nr. 5; Symfonie Nr. 7 (Marcel Poot). Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223805, 1996)
La Mer; Mélodies écossaises; Alvar; Ouverture symphonique No. 3 (Paul Gilson). Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223809, 1996)
Concerto No. 1 in C (piano); Concerto No. 2 in Bes (piano) (Arthur De Greef). André De Groote, piano; Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223810, 1996)
Symphony No. 1 in C; Mater Dolorosa (suite); Rossiniazata (Daniel Sternefeld). Moscow Symphony Orchestra (Marco Polo: 8.223813, 1996)
Concerto, Op. 43a (flute); Le Roi des aulnes; Concerto, Op. 43b (piano) (Peter Benoit). Gaby Pas-Van Riet, flute; Luc Devos, piano; deFilharmonie (Marco Polo: 8.223827, 1996)