Mathieu, Emile

1844-

Teacher and composer; born of Belgian parentage at Lille, France. Both his father and his mother were professors of music at the music school at Louvain, and it was there that he received his first instruction. Later, at the Royal Conservatory t Brussels, he studied piano under Dupont, harmony under Bosselet, and counterpoint and fugue with Fetis. In 1869 he won the second Prize of Rome for his cantata, La Mort du Tasse, and from 1867 to 1873 he taught at the school of music at Louvain, where he acted as director from 1891 to 1898. In 1898 he became director of the Royal Conservatory at Ghent, where he is still to be found. He was made Chevalier of the Order of Leopold in 1898, corresponding member of the Belgian Royal Academy in 1897, and member in 1901. He has written the operas, Georges Daudin, Bathyle, 1'fichange, La Bernoise, 1'Enfance de Roland, Richilde; the cantatas, Le Songe de Colomb, Debout Peuple, Torquato Tasso's dood, La Derniere Nuit de Faust; the ballet, Funeurs de Kiff; children's cantatas, I'ficole Fraternelle, and Les Bois; Le Hoyoux; Le Serbier; Freyhir; French and Flemish songs; Te Deums; three symphonic poems for orchestra; a violin concerto, and some male choruses.