Res#19+: PhDs

The renowned Spanish cellist Pablo Casals (1876–1973) writes in his autobiography that in 1895 he was determined to study at the Brussels Conservatory at all costs. Although these plans ultimately came to little, it is remarkable that the Brussels cello class already had a significant international reputation. According to biographer Peter François, this is largely the result of the work and artistic legacy of one man in particular: François Servais, a native of Halle. Can a distinctively Belgian, content-driven cello school also be identified, and does it continue to thrive today? How does Servais’ oeuvre relate to both the context of his time and our own, and can we pinpoint the specific artistic characteristics of Brussels cellists?

This research approaches Schumann’s works from the perspective of the performing artist. It considers both theoretical aspects and historical context, as well as investigating how these compositions were inspired by the style and psychology of writers such as E.T.A. Hoffmann and Jean Paul Richter. The researcher will also attempt to gain insight into the composer’s deepest intentions through their own artistic practice and understanding, informed not only by extensive study of Schumann’s models—both musical and literary—but also by engagement with twentieth-century and contemporary literary, philosophical, and musical movements that are firmly rooted in the same tradition. The study will culminate in the performance and recording of these compositions.

The PhD research of Jens Demey aims to develop an informed artistic practice for contrabass tubas from 1845 (its invention) to the present day, using a cultural-historical context and an organological study. With a tube length of approximately 6 metres, the contrabass tuba is the largest brass instrument and thus the foundation of the orchestra. Its construction has changed significantly throughout history, while local construction traditions have remained intact. This has led to an enormous variety of instrument types (i.e. contrabass tuba varieties), which this study examines for the first time from an artistic perspective. In addition to developing an informed performance practice, this research will lead to a better cultural-historical understanding of the contrabass tuba and the development of innovative techniques in organology, which will be translated into contemporary instrument making.