Vic Legley 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...

 violist

Violist

-Notable violists:A* Julia Rebekka Adler * Sir Hugh Allen , conductor* Kris Allen * Johann Andreas Amon * Paul Angerer , composer* Steven Ansell * Atar Arad * Cecil Aronowitz...

 and 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...

 of classical music

Classical music

Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...

, of French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 birth. He first studied in Ypres

Ypres

Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...

 with Lionel Bromme. In 1935 he matriculated at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels

Brussels

Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...

, and there won awards in the study of viola

Viola

The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...

, fugue

Fugue

In music, a fugue is a compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently in the course of the composition....

, counterpoint

Counterpoint

In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...

 and chamber music.

In 1941, Legley began studying with Jean Absil

Jean Absil

Jean Absil was a Belgian modernist music composer, organist, and professor at the Brussels Conservatory.- Biography :...

, and in 1943 he received the second Belgian Prix de Rome

Prix de Rome (Belgium)

The Belgian Prix de Rome is an award for young artists, created in 1832, following the example of the original French Prix de Rome. The Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp organised the prize until 1920, when the national government took over. The first prize is also sometimes called the Grand Prix...

. After World War II he played in the Brussels Opera Orchestra and also in the Déclin Quartet, where he encountered the music of Béla Bartók

Béla Bartók

Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...

 and of Arnold Schoenberg

Arnold Schoenberg

Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...

. At about this time (in 1942) he wrote his first symphony

Symphony

A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...

, first of a series of eight (the last of which was written in 1993 and premiered in 1994), and also his first string quartet (first of five, 1941–63, 1990) (Randel, Don Michael (1996).)

He was chairman of SABAM

SABAM

SABAM is the Belgian association of authors, composers and publishers. The acronym stands for "Société d’Auteurs Belge – Belgische Auteurs Maatschappij"....

 (the authors' rights association) from 1980 to 1992, and from 1986 to 1990 president of the Union of Belgian Composers

Union of Belgian Composers

Union of Belgian Composers is a Belgian professional organization of composers founded in 1960...

.

His last years saw a turn towards wind-band music; his Symphony No. 7 is scored for this ensemble. His output also includes 3 violin concertos, a viola concerto, and a piano concerto, among others.

Selected works

Opera

• De cluyte van de twee naakten of de mooie onbekende (1966)

Orchestral

• (Symphonic Variations on an Old Flemish Song), op.6 (1941)
• Symphony No.1, op.10 (1942)
• Suite, op.18 (1944)
• Miniatuursymphonie (1946)
• Musique pour une tragédie grecque, op.24 (1946)
• Symphony No.2, op.29 (1947)
• De gouden rivier (1947)
• De boer die sterft for narrator and orchestra, op.34 (1950); text by Karel van de Woestijne
  Karel van de Woestijne
  Karel van de Woestijne was a Flemish writer and brother of the painter Gustave van de Woestijne. He went to highschool at the Koninklijk Athenaeum at the Ottogracht in Ghent. He also studied Germanic philology at the University of Ghent, where he came into contact with French symbolism...
  
  
• Divertimento, op.41 (1952)
• Symphony No.3, op.42 (1953)
• Sérénade for string orchestra, op.44 no.2 (1957)
• Le bal des Halles (1954)
• Kleine Carnaval, Overture (1954)
• Ouverture pour une Comédie de Goldoni, op.53 (1958)
• La Cathédrale d'acier (The Steel Cathedral), Symphonic Sketch after Fernand Steven, op.52 (1958)
• Trios pièces (3 Pieces) for chamber orchestra, op.57 (1960)
• Diptyque, op.60 (1964)
• Symphony No.4, op.61 (1964)
• Symphony No.5, op.64 (1965)
• Espaces for string orchestra (1970)
• Symphony No.6 "Ypriana", op.88 (1976)
• Before Endeavours Fade for string orchestra, op.92 (1977)
• Automne, op.113 (1989)
• Symphony No.8, op.121 (1988)

Concert band and brass band

• Trois mouvements for brass and percussion, op.76 (1969)
• Le Bal des Halles for concert band, op.43b (1977)
• Before Endeavours Fade, op.92b (1977, 1979)
• Hommage à Jean Absil for saxophone quartet and concert band, op.97 (1980)
• Volharden for brass band, op.98 (1979)
• Drieluik for brass band, op.99 (1980)
• Divertimento for woodwind ensemble, op.104 (1984)
• Paradise Regained, op.26b (1986)
• Symphony No.7 for large concert band, op.112 (1989)

1. Quasi adagio, dolcissimo e molto sostenuto
2. Allegro-scherzando
3. Quasi adagio
4. Finale
   • Petite Introduction pour une Fête Royale (1990–1991)
   • Fanfare J(eunesses) M(usicales)

Concertante

• Concerto No.1 for violin and orchestra, op.27 (1947)
• Concertino for percussion and orchestra, op.49 (1956)
• Concerto for piano and orchestra, op.39 (1952, 1959)
• Concerto for harp and orchestra, op.66 (1966)
• Concerto No.2 for violin and orchestra, op.67 (1966)
• Concerto for viola and orchestra, op.78 (1971)
• Concerto Grosso for violin, alto saxophone and string orchestra, op.87 (1976)
• Concerto No.3 for violin and orchestra, op.115 (1990)

Chamber music

• Elegisch Lied for viola and piano, op.7 (1944)
• Trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon, op.11 (1942)
• Sonata for violin and piano, op.12 (1943)
• Sonata for viola and piano, op.13 (1943)
• Quartet for 4 flutes, op.14 (1943)
• Quartet for 4 cellos (1944)
• Sextet for wind quintet and piano, op.19 (1945)
• Sonata for cello and piano, op.20 (1945)
• String Quartet No.2, op.28 (1947)
• Musique de midi (Middagmuziek; Midday Music) for flute, clarinet, horn, bassoon, 2 violins, viola, cello and double bass, op.33 (1948)
• Sonata for clarinet and piano, op.40 no.3 (1952)
• Sonata for trumpet and piano, op.40 no.6 (1953)
• Sérénade for 2 violins and piano, op.44 no.1 (1954)
• Sérénade for flute, violin and cello, op.44 no.3 (1957)
• Burlesque for violin and piano, op.48 (1956)
• String Quartet No.3, op.50 (1956)
• Poème d'été (Poem of Summer) for violin and piano, op.51 no.1 (1957)
• Poème du printemps (Poem of Spring) for viola and piano, op.51 no.2 (1958)
• Cinq miniatures (5 Miniatures) for 4 saxophones, op.54 (1958)
• Trio for flute, viola and guitar, op.55 (1959)
• String Quartet No.4, op.56 (1963)
• Wind Quintet, op.58 (1961)
• Cinq Pièces (5 Pieces) for guitar, op.62 (1964)
• Piano Quartet (1973)
• Kamermuziek (Chamber Music) for violin, cello and piano, op.81 no.2 (1973)
• Kamermuziek (Chamber Music) for violin, viola and cello, op.81 no.3 (1973)
• Ballade No.1 for violin and piano, op.86 no.1 (1975)
• Ballade No.2 for viola and piano, op.86 no.2 (1975)
• Ballade No.3 for cello and piano, op.86 no.3 (1975)
• Ballade No.4 for double bass and piano, op.86 no.4 (1975)
• Parades I for 4 clarinets (1977)
• Parades II for 6 saxophones (1978)
• String Trio (1979)
• Intermezzo for guitar, op.96 no.2 (1980)
• Parades III for 4 horns (1981)
• Duo for violin and cello (1983)
• Caractères for viola and guitar, op.106 (1985)
• Deux pièces (2 Pieces) for accordion, op.109 (1986)
• String Quartet No.5, op.116 (1990)
• Mélodie for trumpet or trombone and piano, op.117 (1990)
• Vier Miniaturen (4 Miniatures) for viola solo, op.118 no.1 (1991)
• Romance for violin and piano, op.120 (1991)
• Drie meisjes (Three Maidens), Sonata for violin and piano, op.122 (1993)
• Sonata for violin solo, op.123 (1994)
• Mouvement for string quartet (1994)

Harpsichord

• Suite in re, op.108 (1986)

Organ

• Sonata, op.35 (1949)

Piano

• Sonata, op.23 (1946)
• Cinq portraits (5 Portraits) op.46 (1954)
• La farce des deux nues, op.59 (1963)
• Muziek voor twee piano's (Music for 2 Pianos), op.68 (1966)
• Brindilles, 18 Little Pieces, op.80 (1974)
• Sonata No.2 in D, op.84 no.1 (1974)
• Sonata No.3, op.84 no.2 (1977)
• Sonata No.4, op.107 (1985)

Choral

• De gevallen vriend for mixed double chorus a cappella, op.37 (1951); words by Jos De Haes
  Jos De Haes
  Jos De Haes was a Flemish writer and poet.-Bibliography:* Het andere wezen * Pindaros. Pythische oden * Ellende van het woord * Gedaanten * Richard Minne...
  
  
• La Terra e la morte for soprano solo and female chorus, op.83 (1974); words by Cesare Pavese
  Cesare Pavese
  Cesare Pavese was an Italian poet, novelist, literary critic and translator; he is widely considered among the major authors of the 20th century in his home country.- Early life and education :...
  
  

Vocal

• Cinq mélodies françaises for alto and piano, op.15 (1944)
• Paradise Regained for medium voice and string quartet (1946)
• Het gevecht met het hart for tenor and piano, op.32 (1948); words by Marcel Coole
• Cantique spirituel for 4 female voices and piano, op.36 (1950); words by René Ménard
  René Menard
  René Menard was a French Jesuit missionary explorer who traveled to Canada in 1641, learned the language of the Wyandot, and was soon in charge of many of the satellite missions around Sainte-Marie among the Hurons...
  
  
• Sept haï-kaï de Kyo Murakami (7 Haikai
  Haikai
  Haikai is a poetic genre that includes a number of forms which embrace the aesthetics of haikai no renga, and what Bashō referred to as the "poetic spirit" , including haiku, renku , haibun, haiga and senryū ."Haikai" is sometimes used as an abbreviation for "haikai no...
  
   of Kyo Murakami) for soprano and string quartet, op.38 (1951); words by Kyo Murakami
• Migration des âmes for medium voice and piano, op.45 (1954); words by Armand Bernier
• Brieven uit Portugal (Letters from Portugal) for medium voice and piano, op.47 (1955); words by Hubert van Herreweghen
• Een lied der blijdschap (A Song of Exhilaration) for voice and piano, op.50 (1956); words by Bert Decorte
• Zeng for voice and string quartet (or piano), op.63 (1965); words by Jos Vandeloo
  Jos Vandeloo
  Josephus Albertus "Jos" Vandeloo is a Belgian writer and poet. He grew up in a mining family and graduated as a chemist for the mining industry....
  
  
• Mijn gegeven woord for mezzo-soprano and piano (1975)
• Twee Alice Nahon-liederen (2 Alice Nahon Songs) for soprano and piano (1984); words by Alice Nahon
  Alice Nahon
  Alice Nahon was a Flemish poet from Antwerp.-Biography:She was the third child in a family of eleven children. Her father was born in the Netherlands but of French descent, and her mother, Julia Gijsemans, was born in Putte, nearby Mechelen, where Alice spent much time during her childhood...
  
  
• Björn for medium voice and string quartet, op.124 (1994); words by Björn Van Hauwermeiren

Sources

Contains a partial worklist.