‘Brave Belgians of the Belle Époque’ is an artistic case study that unravels the paradigm of a flourishing legacy of horn playing in Ghent at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries.
In around 1870 Belgian horn playing undertook a drastic stylistic volte-face. The earlier joyful and elegantly ornamented manner instigated by such eminent musicians as Martin-Joseph Mengal (1784-1851) and Jean-Désirée Artôt (1803-1887) suddenly changed into a highly lyrical and poetic musical language with an emphasis on transparency, simplicity, and accessibility. A strong generation of horn players trained, aided and abetted by the artistic and institutional achievements of François-Auguste Gevaert (1828-1908) and Adolphe Samuel (1824-1898) developed a horn school that emphasized functional technical proficiency in the service of free artistic expression.
From the end of the nineteenth century onwards, the center of gravity of this tradition was located in the horn studios of Jean Deprez (1840-1902), Charles Heylbroeck (1872-1945), and Maurice Van Bocxstaele (1897-1974) at the Royal Ghent Conservatory. This training line developed a particular educational methodology and inspired composers to create a highly evocative repertoire in which verbal-style expression was of primary importance. This had a notable impact on horn playing worldwide through a diaspora of émigré players, commonly nicknamed ‘brave Belgians’ by their contemporaries. Their life stories and achievements are exemplary of the relation between musical, educational, social, organological and artistic developments that emerged in Belgium during the Belle Epoque era.
The rediscovery of this lost legacy was enabled by analysis of a comprehensive time capsule of related archival findings, historical instruments and repertoire. Findings were contextualized from the perspective of a modern-day performer, creating a practice-based framework that reflects musical performance and perception, artistic identity and the education of musicians, past, present and future.
Brave Belgians of the Belle Époque - A study of the late-romantic Ghent horn playing tradition
for horn and piano
Martin-Joseph Mengal: Sixième duo pour piano et cor (c. 1820)
Martin-Joseph Mengal: Romance du 1° concerto (c. 1820)
Gustaaf Pape: Evening Prayer - Avondbede..
for horn and piano
Léopold Wallner: Romance (Ghent Version, 1890)
Charles De Waele: A Travers Bois (1889)
Jenny Van Rysselberghe: Rêverie (1904)
Robert Guillemyn: Cha..
for horn and piano
Joseph Ryelandt: Sonata in E, opus 18
Robert Herberigs: Cyrano de Bergerac (1912)
Jules Bouquet: Sonata (1942)
Maurits Deroo: Two Sketche..
for horn and piano
Jean-Toussaint Radoux: Méditation (1899)
Auguste Dupont: Intermezzo-Barcarolle (1877)
Charles Gaucet: Concertino (1893)
Edmond Weber: Duo pour Cor et Harpe (c. ..
for horn ensemble (with download code for parts)
Joseph Ryelandt: Zomeravond (Summer Evening), for Horn Quartet (c. 1897)
Paul Gilson: Petite Suite, for Horn Quartet (1889)
Jules Berleur:&nb..
Brave Belgians - vol. I - Ghentian Songs
Martin-Joseph Mengal: Sixième duo pour piano et cor (c. 1820)
Martin-Joseph Mengal: Romance du 1° concerto (c. 1820)
Gustaaf Pape: Ev..
Brave Belgians of the Belle Époque - A study of the late-romantic Ghent horn playing tradition
Brave Belgians - vol. I - Ghentian Songs
Martin-Joseph Mengal: Sixième duo pour pi..
NOTE! This site uses cookies and similar technologies.
If you not change browser settings, you agree to it.
I understand
Summer Break
We will be taking a summer break from Saturday, July 20th to Sunday, August 18th. We wish everyone a wonderful summer!
Orders for digital sheet music made through our website will still be processed during this period. We will do our utmost to deliver your digital order as quickly as possible, but please be aware that it may take longer than 3 business days.
Orders for printed sheet music placed during this period will be processed with renewed energy starting Monday, August 19th.