Composer: Francis de Bourguignon, Gaston Brenta, Théo De Joncker, Marcel Poot, Maurice Schoemaker, Jules Strens
Performer: Royal Band of the Belgian Air Force
Conductor: Matty Cilissen
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Naxos
Catalogue: 8579135
Release: 2023
Size: 313 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Strens: Gil Blas
01. Theme. Allegro vivo
02. Var. 1. Moderato grazioso
03. Var. 2. Vivace
04. Var. 3. Très moderé
05. Var. 4. Moderato
06. Var. 5. Molto largo e solennel – Finale. Allegro gaio
Poot: Tartarin de Tarascon
07. I. Le départ
08. II. Aventure galante
09. III. Danse orientale
10. IV. Retour
11. Bourguignon: Récitatif et ronde, Op. 94
12. Brenta: Zo’ har
13. Joncker: Guitenstreken
Schoemaker: Brueghel Suite
14. I. Prelude
15. II. Scherzo
16. III. March
17. IV. Nocturno
18. V. Finale
In September 1925, seven students gathered in Brussels to form the first composers’ collective in Belgian music history – Les Synthetistes – who sought to distinguish themselves from late Romantic style by connecting with contemporary music. A lack of symphony orchestras in Belgium at the time saw them composing and transcribing original works for wind band, and through their collaboration with Arthur Prevost and the Band of the Belgian Guides, a unique canon of original, modern music could be heard on the Brussels concert stages during the interwar period. This recording provides a resounding response to the injustice of this repertoire’s complete neglect today. Works by the collective’s ‘master’ Paul Gilson and the seventh member, Rene Bernier, can be heard on the digital single 9.70351.