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Eugène-Charles-Jean Godecharle (bapt. 15 January 1742 – 26 June 1798) was a Belgian violinist and composer.

Family

Godecharle was born in Brussels in 1742. His father, Jacques-Antoine Godecharle, was master of music in the church of St Nicholas, and bass singer at the court chapel of Prince Charles of Lorraine, governor of the Austrian Netherlands. Eugène's brother Lambert-François was also a musician, replacing his father as master of music at St Nicholas; another brother was the sculptor Gilles-Lambert Godecharle.

Career

Eugène began in the Prince's choir: his father, noting his talent as a violinist, sent him to Paris for lessons.

On his return to Brussels, he played viola in the chapel from 1773. On the death of Henri-Jacques de Croes, master of the court chapel, in 1786, Godecharle applied to replace him but failed; he became lead violin only in 1788. In 1776 he became master of music at the Church of St Géry [nl] in Brussels, remaining in the post until his death.

Compositions

Godecharle's publications include:

• Sonatas for violin with basso continuo, op. 1
• Symphonie nocturne for strings, two oboes, two horns, piccolo and drum
• Six symphonies, for strings, two oboes and two horns
• Three sonatas for harp with violin accompaniment
• Three sonatas for piano with violin accompaniment, op. 5

He left in manuscript much church music.

References

1. Godecharle, Eugène Archived 2018-02-19 at the Wayback Machine Oxford Index.
2. ^ Godecharle (Eugène-Charles-Jean) François-Joseph Fétis. Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie générale de la musique.
3. "Godecharle (Lambert-François)" . Biographie nationale de Belgique (in French). Vol. 7. p. 434 – via Wikisource.
4. ^ "Godecharle (Eugène-Charles-Jean)" . Biographie nationale de Belgique (in French). Vol. 7. p. 434 – via Wikisource.

External links

• Free scores by Eugène Godecharle at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
• Eugène Godecharle, Requiem Survey.

• 1742 births
• 1798 deaths
• Belgian classical violinists
• 18th-century violinists
• Belgian male classical composers
• 18th-century classical composers
• 18th-century male musicians
• Musicians from Brussels
• Belgian male classical violinists