(Henry Vieuxtemps, by Charles Baugniet, lithography, 1840, Cl. 14.490 Mus.)

Henry Vieuxtemps (17 February 1820 – 6 June 1881) was an eminent Belgian violinist and composer. On the bicentenary of his birth, KBR invites you to discover its digitised collection relating to Vieuxtemps.

 

Authentic documents at KBR

KBR keeps 32 music manuscripts, including the autograph of Vieuxtemps’ Violin Concerto No. 5. KBR recently completed its collection with the autograph manuscript of the composer’s only opera, La Fiancée de Messine.

The Music Department also preserves more than 500 letters and documents that belonged to Vieuxtemps. Among these is a luxurious autograph book (view online). The dedications in a book are addressed to the violinist by people such as Paganini, Spohr, Mendelssohn, Spontini or the publisher Artaria, who accompanied his dedication with two autograph manuscripts by Joseph Haydn.

 

Vieuxtemps online

In order to make this cultural heritage available to anyone, KBR digitised some hundred sources on Vieuxtemps and put them online. You can view them via our digital library.

Also be sure to check out the virtual exhibition on the life of the composer.

View Vieuxtemps online