Abstract
The Music Library of the Belgian National Radio Institute and the rise of symphonic Flemish music (1935-1977).
This paper aims to investigate how and why the Belgian National Radio Institute (known by the Dutch acronym N.I.R. and later on B.R.T) and its orchestras, the Great Symphony Orchestra and the Radio Orchestra, stimulated the creation and performance of symphonic Flemish music between 1935-1977. The Great Symphony Orchestra (° 1935-1977) was the first fully subsidised symphony orchestra in Belgium. Compared to opera or philharmonic orchestras, broadcasting orchestras had their own identity as they were conceived within the framework of 'Public Service Broadcasting'. PSB was characterized by a 'cultural educational logic', contributing to the creation, maintenance and spread of a common culture. How has P.S.B. affected the music policy of the N.I.R. on Flemish contemporary symphonic music? Did the N.I.R. stimulate the creation of new symphonic music, new genres and/or a new musical style that eventually answered the specific requirements of the radio medium? What was its contribution to the Flemish symphonic Music in general?
This research is based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of historical data sources collected and centralized in a relational databank with 5.000 records, developed in a preliminary stage of this research project. Program analyses of the orchestras will be linked with the growth and content of the Music Library of the N.I.R. and B.R.T. (1935-1977). This collection contains important historical heritage with a lot of manuscripts of Belgian and Flemish compositions and annotated scores of renowned conductors who worked with the former orchestras of the N.I.R. and B.R.T.
The N.I.R. and the B.R.T. was the largest production house for Flemish and Belgian music in Belgium. During the fifties and sixties of the 20th century, for example, its orchestras performed 80% of the new symphonic compositions written by Flemish composers.
Insights from organizational theory will be applied on this research in order to explain the rise of symphonic Flemish music between 1935-1977 caused by the N.I.R. and B.R.T.
This paper aims to investigate how and why the Belgian National Radio Institute (known by the Dutch acronym N.I.R. and later on B.R.T) and its orchestras, the Great Symphony Orchestra and the Radio Orchestra, stimulated the creation and performance of symphonic Flemish music between 1935-1977. The Great Symphony Orchestra (° 1935-1977) was the first fully subsidised symphony orchestra in Belgium. Compared to opera or philharmonic orchestras, broadcasting orchestras had their own identity as they were conceived within the framework of 'Public Service Broadcasting'. PSB was characterized by a 'cultural educational logic', contributing to the creation, maintenance and spread of a common culture. How has P.S.B. affected the music policy of the N.I.R. on Flemish contemporary symphonic music? Did the N.I.R. stimulate the creation of new symphonic music, new genres and/or a new musical style that eventually answered the specific requirements of the radio medium? What was its contribution to the Flemish symphonic Music in general?
This research is based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of historical data sources collected and centralized in a relational databank with 5.000 records, developed in a preliminary stage of this research project. Program analyses of the orchestras will be linked with the growth and content of the Music Library of the N.I.R. and B.R.T. (1935-1977). This collection contains important historical heritage with a lot of manuscripts of Belgian and Flemish compositions and annotated scores of renowned conductors who worked with the former orchestras of the N.I.R. and B.R.T.
The N.I.R. and the B.R.T. was the largest production house for Flemish and Belgian music in Belgium. During the fifties and sixties of the 20th century, for example, its orchestras performed 80% of the new symphonic compositions written by Flemish composers.
Insights from organizational theory will be applied on this research in order to explain the rise of symphonic Flemish music between 1935-1977 caused by the N.I.R. and B.R.T.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | IAML Conference |
| Editors | Iaml |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Jul 2014 |
| Event | Annual Conference of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres 2014 - Antwerp, Belgium Duration: 13 Jul 2014 → 18 Jul 2014 |
Conference
| Conference | Annual Conference of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres 2014 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Belgium |
| City | Antwerp |
| Period | 13/07/14 → 18/07/14 |
Bibliographical note
IAMLKeywords
- Music Library
- Flemish Symphonic Music
- NIR/INR
- Belgian Broadcasting