The Contacts between Antwerp and the Czech Music Scene in the Second Half of the 19th Century: Edward Keurvels, the Apostle of Zdeněk Fibich in Antwerp
The Contacts between Antwerp and the Czech Music Scene in the Second Half of the 19th Century: Edward Keurvels, the Apostle of Zdeněk Fibich in Antwerp

Summary/Abstract: In nineteenth-century Belgium the port city of Antwerp was the epicentre of the Flemish musical national movement that took a stand against the francophone dominance in the Belgian music scene and advocated a return to the roots of Flemish music. This movement of music nationalism was initiated and given a theoretical base by composer and conductor Peter Benoit (1834–1901), the founder and first director of the Royal Flemish Conservatory in Antwerp. The Flemish musical movement sympathised with Czech musical nationalism because of the common struggle for a recognition of their language and for emancipation. Benoit would incorporate 'Bohemian’ music in his plans as the organizer of the music and concert scene and as the head of the Conservatory, just like he did with the musical culture of other cultural regions which were fighting a linguistic battle and trying to achieve emancipation. The interest in Czech music and the belief in music drama as an innovative operatic genre led Benoit and especially his student and assistant Edward Keurvels (1853–1916) to perform Zdeněk Fibich’s trilogy Hippodamia in Antwerp, a plan that was not completely successful. In addition, Keurvels often performed orchestral works by Fibich and Bedřich Smetana, and also the latter’s The Bartered Bride. The great interest that Antwerp musical life showed at the turn of the century for Czech national music would disappear after the First World War because of Keurvels’ death.

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