Edward Potjes

Edward Potjes (born Eduard Adriaan Nicolaas; in French Edouard-Adrien-Nicolas) was a Dutch-born composer and piano virtuoso.

Edward Potjes

Born in Nijmegen (the Netherlands) on 13 August 1860, Potjes began his music studies at the age of 7. He received the rudiments of piano from P. Van Merkestein, and learned harmony and counterpoint from Grégoire Van Dyck in Boxmeer. From 1878 to 1880 he attended composition classes by Richard Hol. After that, at Cologne, he was pupil of Ferdinand Hiller (composition) and of Jacob Kwast (piano).[1] He graduated from the University of Belgium in 1887.[2]

After completing his studies, Potjes established in Antwerp as a music teacher and in 1885 he had the opportunity to be heard by Liszt; following his advice he applied for the position of piano teacher at the Strasbourg Pādagogium and was accepted.[1] He soon left Strasbourg to make an artistic tour in the Netherlands. In 1887, he moved back to Antwerp, continuing to make numerous artistic tours in England and France.

When the professor of piano at the Conservatory of Ghent, Max Heynderickx, died on 12 June 1893, a competition was held for his replacement. Several talented artists applied for the position, but the jury decided for Potjes, and he was confirmed by a royal decree on 29 December 1893.

In 1917 he resigned the post he had held for twenty-two years as head of the Virtuoso Piano Department at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent to immigrate to the United States as a war refugee. He moved to Seattle in 1922, and became a U.S. citizen in 1924. He toured many European countries as a concert pianist, and composed several grand operas. For one year, Potjes taught piano, harmony and composition at the Cornish School. After that, Potjes devoted his time to composing and to teaching private classes.[2]

In 15 November 1921, Potjes was designated Officer of the Order of Leopold by royal decree.[3]

Potjes was a virtuoso talent as evidenced by the brilliant success he obtained in each of his performances in concerts; it can be cited his Recital in Liège dedicated to the members of the Legia in January 1896; the one he presented in January 1897 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, where he was applauded for his brilliant performance of works of very different characters: Bach, Tausig, Liszt, Chopin, Saint-Saëns, Rachmaninoff, Schumann, Beethoven, etc. And the "Piano Recital Beethoven", at the Cercle des Concerts d'hiver in January 1899, where he delighted the audience with a masterful performance of four Beethoven sonatas.

On 1 December 1930, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, in concert, played his tone poem "Easter Morning" from his opera "Salome's Jewel Box". Potjes died on 4 January 1931 at Columbus Hospital, in Seattle, United States.[4]