Claes, Ulysse

Eline Jans

(Maurice-)Ulysse Claes was the youngest of the three sons of Guillaume III Claes (1752-1841) and Anne Elisabeth Bosch (1753-1834). In 1823 Ulysse married his cousin Anna Cecilia Hubertina Vannes (1804-1842) in Hasselt. They had two children: Valérie (1826-1886) and Joseph Horacius Telemachus (1831-1913). Like his father and grandfather Ulysse was very much involved in the local political and cultural scene. In 1820 he became a member of the town council of Kuringen, where he would be mayor from 1830 to 1836.

As a young men Ulysse already took active part in various Hasselt music associations and in the chamber of rhetoric De Roode Roos, which under impulse of the Claes family began developing more musical activities. Ulysse Claes also served as patron to the painter Godfried Guffens, who painted his portrait as a conductor on 1858.

Ulysse Claes made his debut as a composer with religious music: his first two official compositions are masses. He also composed various romances for voice and piano, some of which can only be found in written collections. Other romances, such as La fiancée du contrebandier, Les petis baisers and Les regrets did get published. He enjoyed composing for cello, as evidenced by works like Partant pour la Syrie: romance variée pour le violoncelle avec accompag. de quatuor ou piano-forte, op. 3 ; Air varié: pour le violoncelle avec accompagnement de deux violons, alto, basse, flute, deux clarinettes et deux cors, op. 5 and Deuxieme air varié: pour le violoncelle avec accompagnement de deux violons, alto et basse, ou piano.

Just like his brother Adolf, Ulysse kept in touch with the cello virtuoso Adrien-François Servais. And together with the harpist Félix Godefroid he composed Duo: pour harpe et violoncelle composé sur des motifs de ‘Lucie de Lamermoor’.