Composer Jean-Baptiste Accolay Born In 1833

Belgian violinist and composer Jean-Baptiste Accolay was born on this day in 1833 – 191 years ago

Belgian violinist and composer Jean-Baptiste Accolay was born on this day in 1833 – 191 years ago.

Born in Brussels, Accolay studied the violin at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels with Lambert Joseph Meerts and Nicolas-Lambert Wéry.

During his career, he spent time as a first violinist at the theater orchestras of Namur and Bruges. In 1860, he became a solfège teacher at the conservatory of Bruges. Later on, he began teaching violin (from 1861-1864), viola (from 1864), string quartet chamber music (1865), and harmony (1874). He stayed at the conservatory until his death in 1900.

In 1865, he helped establish the classical music concert series Séances de musique classique in Bruges in 1865 and co-founded the Maatschappij der Concerten van het Conservatorium in 1896.

Accolay's repertoire mainly comprises concertos, concertinos, and character pieces for violin accompanied by piano or orchestra. His signature work is his Violin Concerto in A Minor.

Conjecture exists if Accolay was indeed a real person, some theorize that he was merely a pseudonym assumed by Henri Vieuxtemps for his pedagogical works.

ACCOLAY | VIOLIN CONCERTO IN A MINOR | 1ST MVT | VALERY BRESHEAR & MILES GRABER