Public and private initiative regarding orchestras and concert organisations in Brussels between 1830 and 1940: an explorative, interdisciplinary source investigation on the initiative, institutionalisation, financing, programming and audience.

In Belgium orchestras and concert organisations today are primarily financed through public funds. In an historical perspective, however, it seems that this strong dependence on public support has only come about since the thirties. Although orchestras and concert organisations originally were mainly founded and financed by prominent individuals, the authorities unmistakably played a role in the way they functioned socially. Between 1830 and 1940 the debate about the general interest of art grew in importance against the background of the ongoing democratisation that gains momentum after World War I. A profound historical study on the foundation and institutionalisation of the main orchestras and concert organisations seems to be necessary, with the focus on the interaction between private and public initiative. Subsequently, the relationship between this interaction on the one hand and the policies of these organisations on the programming and the audience on the other hand has to be investigated. Unlike the situation in the neighbouring countries, an historical understanding of this crucial period is still lacking in Flanders, especially as far as the economical, political and social dimension is concerned. Because of this substantial gap, an exploration of this problem field has been undertaken firstly. This explorative phase (started in January 2006), in which the available source material is being inventoried systematically and screened on its relevance, will lead in the second phase (object of this research proposal) to the development of a relational data base. This data base will be the basis for an interdisciplinary (phd) research on the topic from a musicological, historical and sociological perspective.