Daniel Sternefeld was a Belgian

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

 and conductor

Conducting

Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...

.

Musical Training and Career

Sternefeld took private lessons with Renaat Veremans and Paul Gilson

Paul Gilson

Paul Gilson was a Belgian musician and composer.-Biography:Gilson was born in Brussels. In 1866, his family moved to Ruisbroek in the Belgian province of Brabant. There he studied theory with the organist and choir director Auguste Cantillon, and began writing works for orchestra and choir...

 at the Royal Conservatory of Flanders in Antwerp, after which he studied conducting under Frank van der Stucken

Frank Van der Stucken

Frank Valentine Van der Stucken was an American composer and conductor, and founder of the Cincinnati Symphony in 1895.-Biography:...

. He completed his studies at the Mozarteum in Salzburg with Bernard Paumgartner, Clemens Krauss

Clemens Krauss

Clemens Heinrich Krauss was an Austrian conductor and opera impresario, particularly associated with the music of Richard Strauss.-Biography:...

 and Herbert von Karajan

Herbert von Karajan

Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor. To the wider world he was perhaps most famously associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, of which he was principal conductor for 35 years...

. In 1938, he was appointed principal conductor of the Royal Flemish Opera. Sternefeld wrote his first symphony in 1943 while hiding from the occupying German army. He escaped deportation and in 1942, risked his life by attending the funeral of his teacher Paul Gilson

Paul Gilson

Paul Gilson was a Belgian musician and composer.-Biography:Gilson was born in Brussels. In 1866, his family moved to Ruisbroek in the Belgian province of Brabant. There he studied theory with the organist and choir director Auguste Cantillon, and began writing works for orchestra and choir...

 in Brussels. In 1948, he left the Royal Flemish Opera for the Belgian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Brussels – serving initially as associate conductor

Conducting

Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...

, and then from 1957 to 1970 as principal conductor

Conducting

Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...

– where he became known for his interpretations of modern music.

Style

In his writings, a clear evolution can be traced from a late romantic musical language, by way of the chromaticism of Wagner and the sonority of Mahler and Richard Strauss, to lyrical expressionism.

List of works (alphabetical)

Based on the list of scores available at the Belgian Documentation Centre for Contemporary Music:

• 'K kwam lestmael door een groene wei – 1977, for voice and harp
• A.B.V.V. Lied – for middle voice and piano
• A.B.V.V. Mars – 1949, for mixed choir
• Blaaskwintet – 1986, for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon
• Bruegel – 1981, for orchestra
• Elegie – 1931, for orchestra
• Etude-passacaglia – 1979, for chromatic or diatonic harp
• Festivitas populacia bruocsella – 1979, for orchestra
• Frère Jacques – 1954, for 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba and percussion
• Ghequetst ben ik van binnen – 1977, for voice and harp
• Halewijn – 1978, for orchestra
• Het hemelbed – 1979, for orchestra
• Ik zag Cecilia komen – 1977, for voice and harp
• Kleine burlesque nr.1 – 1930, for flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon
• Kleine burlesque nr.2 – for flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon
• Mater Dolorosa – 1934, for opera
• Mater Dolorosa – 1934, for Soprano solo, choir and orchestra
• Pierlala – 1938, for song and orchestra
• Rossiniazata – 1981, for orchestra
• Rossiniazata – 1981, for piano
• Salve Antwerpia – 1979, for orchestra
• Symphonie – 1943, for orchestra
• Variaties op Broeder Jacob – 1954, for band
• Vijf Nederlandse liederen uit de XVIe en XVIIe eeuw – 1985, for band
• Vijf nederlandse liederen – 1983, for fanfare
• Vlaamse volksliederen – 1934, for chamber orchestra
• Waaier – 1984, for orchestra
• Zang en dans aan het hof van Maria Van Bourgondië – 1976, for chamber or symphonic orchestra