This album is the result of an artistic research project by Professor Daniel Blumenthal at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, supported by the Erasmushogeschool research fund.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Jean Absil co-founded 'La Sirène' in 1937 and the 'Revue Internationale de Musique' in 1938 to promote contemporary music, with honorary committee members including Bartók and Berg.
Performer Biography
The pianist Daniel Blumenthal, born in Germany, began his musical studies in Paris at age 5 and later won numerous international competitions, including Sydney, Leeds, Geneva, Busoni, and the Queen Elisabeth of Belgium.
Composer Biography
Jean Absil's Piano Concerto was recognized at the International Eugène Ysaÿe Competition in 1938, a precursor to the Queen Elisabeth Competition.
Composer Biography
Jean Absil, a Belgian composer, won first prizes for harmony, counterpoint, and fugue at the Royal Brussels Conservatory and later studied composition and orchestration with Paul Gilson.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Jean Absil, despite his traditional training, was deeply interested in new international developments in contemporary music, including atonality and polytonality.
Historical Context
The Brussels music scene in the 1920s and 1930s was very dynamic, with its cultural and financial elite promoting contemporary music and hosting major composers like Stravinsky and Bartók.
