Brussels Conservatory Library - EhB

Info

The library's collection is one of the most important in Belgium, and enjoys a worldwide reputation. Music of the 17th and 18th centuries is particularly well represented.

Geschiedenis

The library of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels was founded in 1832, and now possesses a collection of around one million volumes. The collection consists mainly of scores, but also contains books about music, reference works, periodicals and illustrations.

The collection is one of the most important in Belgium, and enjoys a worldwide reputation. Music of the 17th and 18th centuries is particularly well represented, partly owing to the purchase of two private collections; those of Westphal and Wagener.

The collection of the German musician Westphal was bought in the middle of the 19th century by Fétis, then director of the Royal Conservatory. This collection contains mainly German music of the 18th century, including manuscripts by C. Ph. E. Bach, J. W. Hertel and G. Ph. Telemann.

At the beginning of the 20th century Alfred Wotquenne, the librarian at the time, acquired the Wagener collection. This collection consist mainly of German and Italian chamber music from the 17th and 18th centuries.

In 1929 the Sint-Goedele Fund was acquired. This is an important collection of about 450 manuscripts of religious music from the collegial church of Saint Sint-Goedele in Brussels, now Saint Michael's cathedral. Both Italian composers and local masters such as Brehy, De Croes, Fiocco and Van Helmont are well represented.

The following collections also deserve mention:
-de Glimes', with Italian vocal music from the 18th century;
-Hollenfeltz', with documents concerning Mozart father and son;
-Piron's, with French chamber music in manuscript and printed form from the second half of the 18th century;
-Michotte's, with personal documents of Rossini.

The library builds on this historic collection with an acquisition policy which pays particular attention to contemporary music.
Advances in library science are also followed carefully; for example up-to-date standards are followed for the description of titles, and the recent catalogue can be consulted online.