Editing Arthur De Greef (composer) (section)

==Life and career==
Born in [[Leuven|Louvain]], he won first prize in a local music competition at the age of 11 and subsequently enrolled at the [[Royal Conservatory of Brussels|Brussels Conservatoire]]. His main teacher there was [[Louis Brassin]], a former pupil of [[Ignaz Moscheles]], although he also took lessons from other staffers at the institution, including [[Joseph Dupont (violinist)|Joseph Dupont]], [[François-Auguste Gevaert]] and [[Fernand Kufferath]].<ref>[http://www.naxos.com/composerinfo/arthur_de_greef/26080.htm Naxos]</ref>

After graduating with high distinction from the Conservatoire at the age of 17, De Greef went to [[Weimar]] to complete his studies under [[Franz Liszt]]. He was a pupil of Liszt for two years.<ref name=mwi>[http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/May03/deGreef_piano.htm Musicweb International]</ref>

Following the Weimar sojourn, De Greef embarked on a career as a concert pianist, travelling widely. He was a friend of [[Edvard Grieg]], whose Piano Concerto he had played publicly in 1898, and who called him "the best performer of my music I have met with". In addition, he enjoyed the endorsement of [[Camille Saint-Saëns]]. British critic Jonathan Woolf has written: "De Greef was, in all respects, an intensely musical, non-sensationalist, eloquent and impressive musician and whilst not being averse to some of the interventionist tactics of his contemporaries (retouching of the score) remained sympathetically self-effacing".<ref name=mwi/>

De Greef composed a sizeable quantity of music, virtually all of which is now unknown. Among his works are two [[piano concerto]]s. He was a devoted teacher, and taught piano at the Brussels Conservatoire for many years.<ref name=mwi/>