Marché Opus

Mengal Ensemble XL

A musical revolution on historical instruments 12

Les sons du cor transportent l’esprit au loin, dans les libres espaces, au sein des vastes fôrets, sous l’ombrage des chênes séculaires, ou dans les pays charmants du rêve et de la féerie, aux bords des claires fontaines où l’on entend par les belles nuits d’été résonner les notes mystérieuses du cor d’Obéron. From F.A. Gevaert, ”Traité d’instrumentation” 1885, p.210

In the shadows of the soot-scattering chimneys In 1894 Léon Du Bois completed his three of 19th century industrialized Western Europe, octets for eight-valve horns, at a time when the , musicians and instrument musical style of Bruckner and Wagner was manufacturers were engaged in their own popular in Brussels. The result includes a musical revolution. The turbulent atmosphere glorious work for doubled horn quartet written of politics, scientific evolution and new artistic in a lyrical style. The piece was a success at the ideas challenged and changed the musical time it was released, but fell out of fashion by world. The studios of Sax, Mahillon and Van the middle of the 20th century. The musical richness of Cauwelaert in Paris and Brussels claimed their We are very proud to be able to present it in its these octets symbolize the share of the ever-expanding instrument market original form played with the precise with their newest inventions and instruments for which it was written. highlight of the Belgian improvements. The horn octets of Martin- “lyrical” horn school. Joseph Mengal (°Ghent, 1784-1851) and Léon The Mengal Ensemble has gathered ten friends Du Bois (°Brussels 1859-Bosvoorde 1935) -all experienced and renowned horn and adroitly illustrate both the change of musical trombone players with a passion for period concept, as well as of wind instrument design at instruments- to accept the challenge of playing that time. this music and these instruments as their creators intended. Martin-Joseph Mengal, a famous horn virtuoso th and pupil in composition of Antonin Reicha This programme included six original early 19 (°Prague1770-Paris 1836) wrote six octets while century French natural horns, all built by the studying at the Paris conservatory around 1817. prestigious Parisian builders Courtois or Raoux, He combined six natural horns of different keys as well as two trombones modelled after those with two trombones, the latter providing more of Eschenbach in Leipzig. chromatic possibilities in the low register. The For the performance of the Du Bois Octet, use of hand stopping technique coupled with they have assembled eight original valve horns varying tube lengths resulted in an explosion of built in the Brussels workshop of Ferdinand musical colour and provided a spectacular van Cauwelaert and at the time the favourite instrument of most Belgian players. © MIM Brussel window to showcase the virtuosity of this magnificent ancient instrument. 2 12

© Conservatoire Royal de Liège

Mengal Ensemble The Mengal Ensemble has graced the main concert stages in , including “de Bijloke” in Ghent and the “Concertgebouw” in Bruges, The Mengal Ensemble was founded in 2008 by four horn players who as well as performed at various festivals. shared a profound interest in adventurous repertoire, historical The August 2014 performances of the group's Marché Opus instruments, research and musical experimentation. th Founding members Jeroen Billiet, Bart Indevuyst, Mark De Merlier and programme was one of the highlights of the 46 International Horn Frank Clarysse all studied with professor Luc Bergé and have established Symposium in London and the MA festival in Bruges. significant careers as soloist, orchestral players and educators. The ambition of the group is to continue its work as a pioneer in the The group’s performances boast a bevy of other musicians, including rediscovery and reconstruction of valuable unknown repertoire, organists and Frank Heye, pianist-arranger Jan research playing techniques and style of historical instruments and to Huylebroeck, harpist Marjan De Haer, trumpeter Steven Bossuyt, singer enlarge the knowledge on and public interest in the horn. Veerle Verhaegen, the Orpheon Chamber Choir and many others. During its six year history, the Mengal Ensemble has thrilled audiences In 2010, a CD “Fall now Blows its Horn” (Phaedra 65) was released, th featuring unknown works by Belgian composers and was greatly with surprisingly diverse programmes, ranging from 19 century duets applauded by the international specialised press. for horn and harp to full-scale historical brass ensembles.

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In 2012, The Mengal Ensemble acquired three Performing Artists original alphorns, significantly enlarging its repertoire, and facilitating a live seaside television broadcast showcasing these exceptional Horn instruments. Jeroen Billiet (°Tielt, 1977) Bart Cypers (°Antwerpen, 1983) In addition to their work as a professional musical principal horn le Concert d'Astrée, Insula principal horn Vlaamse – Quintet Eburon, freelance Sinfonia Rotterdam, Nationaal Orkest group, the Mengal Ensemble is an important actor Orchestra, Il Fondamento – freelance les Musiciens du Louvre-Grenoble, B'Rock – horn van België, La Petite Bande, De Munt, Orchestre on the field of music pedagogy in Belgium. The teacher SAMW Tielt and Stedelijk de Chambre de Wallonie last edition of the popular “Horn Days” Conservatorium Brugge, lector SLO and (“Hoorndagen”), an event for enthusiastic horn researcher AP Hogeschool Antwerpen Jean-Pierre Dassonville (°Soignies, 1963) players of all ages, tallied over 200 participants in principal horn de Munt, Orchestre des Champs Roeselare, Western Flanders, February 2012. In Frank Clarysse (°Roeselare, 1968) Elysées - lector (natural)horn at the Koninklijke February 2014, the ensemble organised a het Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen, l'Orchestre des Conservatoria Mons and Brussel, teacher successful roadshow with 50 players from several Champs Elysées - horn teacher SAMWD muziekacademie Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe – regional music academies, including five concerts Roeselare champion at the international competition for on one day at public venues in Flanders, ending alpine horn, Nendaz (Zwitserland) with a much attended spectacular open-air Bart Indevuyst (°Poperinge, 1979) Johan Van Neste (°Roeselare, 1962) performance in the historical heart of Bruges. Jef Neve-ensemble, freelance Nationaal Orkest van België, Brussels Philharmonic, Vlaamse principal horn bij Symfonieorkest. Vlaanderen till

Opera - horn teacher SAMWD Deinze en Lede, 2012, freelance Brussels Filharmonic, Il In 2012, The Mengal Ensemble commissioned a MAGO Gent Fondamento, Combattimento Consort piece for eight-part horn ensemble and alphorns Amsterdam - horn teacher academies Diksmuide, from the well-known French , Pascal Mark De Merlier (°Oudenaarde, 1966) Izegem and Gentbrugge. Proust. The result was the brilliant "Les Eperons Freelance Il Fondamento, le Concert d'Anvers, d'Or" (The Golden Spurs) which premiered at the l'Arte del Mondo – Bert Vanderhoeft (°Antwerpen, 1979) "Horn Day" and which, given its distinct sound, horn teacher Kunstacademie Ronse De Munt – lector horn Lemmensinstituut, lector has earned its place next to the historic octets in chamber music brass instruments at the the Marche Opus programme. Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel

Trombone

Gunter Carlier (°Halle, 1967) Audio examples l'Orchestre des Champs Elysées, Anima Eterna Brugge - director Stedelijk Conservatorium Brugge You can listen to some fragments of the programme : Marché Opus audio Simen Van Mechelen (°Ekeren, 1962) Concerto Palatino, Huelgas Ensemble, Bach http://www.corecole.be/page4/marche_opus_media/ Collegium Japan, Oltremontano, la Petite Bande index.html

4 Period Instruments

Instruments octet M.-J. Mengal

Natural Horns in different keys (Bb alto, Es, F) by Courtois or Raoux, Paris ca 1820

Trombones modelled after Eschenbach.

During the 18th century the horn developed from a crude signal instrument, used mainly for the hunt, to a refined and popular solo orchestral instrument. This evolution culminated in early 19th century Paris, and it is perhaps no surprise that the best horn manufacturers of the time were to be found in the French capital. The very best horns, used by nearly all virtuosi of that time came from two workshops: Courtois and Raoux. For this programme we assembled six original horns, often beautifully decorated by these two legendary manufacturers. The trombones used in this programme are exact copies of an instrument by Johann Georg Eschenbach present in the collection of the Leipzig University (inventory 1899), crafted by Geert Jan Van der Heyde.

Instruments octet L. Du Bois Valve horns with three périnet valves in F, Ferdinand Van Cauwelaert, Brussels. The Brussels workshop of Ferdinand Van Cauwelaert became famous for its excellent valve horns crafted at the height of the Belgian horn school in the second half of the 19th century. Van Cauwelaert produced two particular horn models with a French-inspired design that were tremendously popular with Belgian players. For this programme, eight-valve horns in F of the «Gantois» type, famous for its dark and romantic tonal colour and beautiful legato will be played.

In addition, the Royal Ghent Conservatory has kindly lent us their four original historical horn mutes for this programme, revealing an exceptionally special sound concept, unequaled in modern times.

5 2 h program with explanation and interlude ------

Léon Du Bois (°Brussel 1859-1935) Octuor pour 8 cors chromatiques en fa (1885-1894) 1 h program 30 min. program Ouverture-allegretto with explanation can be played twice a day Andante-Rêverie ------Finale-Rondo Léon Du Bois Léon Du Bois Joseph Ryelandt (°Brugge 1870-1965) Octuor pour 8 cors chromatiques en fa Octuor pour 8 cors chromatiques en fa Zomeravond voor hoornkwartet (1898) Andante-Rêverie Finale-Rondo ---- Interlude ---- Finale-Rondo

Martin Joseph Mengal J. Ryelandt Zomeravond (°Gent 1784-1851) J. Ryelandt Zomeravond Grand Octuor pour 6 cors et 2 trombones OR OR P. Proust les Eperons d'Or (1817) P. Proust les Eperons d'Or

Ouverture Menuet à Contretemps M.-J. Mengal Introduction, Thème et Variations M.-J. Mengal Grand Octuor pour 6 cors et 2 trombones Adagio Grand Octuor pour 6 cors et 2 trombones Menuet gracieux Introduction, Thême et Variations Finale Introduction, Thême et Variations Finale Adagio Pascal Proust (°Orléans 1959) Finale les Eperons d'Or (2012) for horn ensemble and 2 alphorns

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