Jacques Brel: It was 40 years ago today
mainBelgium’s greatest contribution to humanity left us on October 9, 1978.
The French chanson survived for a while, expiring a few days ago with Charles Aznavour.
Frère Jacques, dormez-vous bien?
Belgium’s greatest contribution to humanity left us on October 9, 1978.
The French chanson survived for a while, expiring a few days ago with Charles Aznavour.
Frère Jacques, dormez-vous bien?
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In a match between César Franck and Jacques Brel, who would win that most coveted of all titles, “Belgium’s greatest contribution to humanity”? My mind is not made up.
Um, when Cesar breathed his first, he started out as a resident of the Netherlands. Liège, his place of birth, was not yet part of Belgium. And of course he spent most of his life in France where he is buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery. Just visited him there last week.
Jacques Brel would be my winner, every time!
Chanson died with Aznavour? Really? Both Cabrel and Dassin are still alive for a start.
Dassin is alive, really?
Joe
Whoops. sorry
What about Jan Van Eyck (see National Gallery), Van Dyck (idem), Brueghel, Magritte, Mercator, Grétry, César Franck, Adolphe Sax (saxophone), Eugene Ysaye, José Van Dam, Philippe Herreweghe, René Jacobs and … Johnny Hallyday (joke ;-)) ?
I agree, for a small country a huge contribution. Among others you omit Josquin and Rubens.
True, thanks! And Adrien Willaert amongst others.
These people all came from Flanders, Brabant or Hainaut, not “Belgium”.
Sorry, by “these people” I mostly mean the painters, like Van Eyck, Van der Weyden, Van der Goes, Bouts, Bruegel, Van Dyck, Rubens, Jordaens… Start a list of (mostly) Flemish painters and get overwhelmed by the numbers.
To my knowledge, Flanders, Brabant and Hainaut are regions of Belgium.
JOBE’s point is probably that Belgium didn’t exist then (along with many other modern-day countries).
Absolutely: Belgium was founded in 1830.
Vivaldi is called an “Italian composer” even if Italy didn’t exist at the time either 🙂
Yes, big difference. The name Italia and the idea of a common cultural identity has been applied to the entire territory of Italy since Roman times, even though political unification didn’t happen until the late 19th century. Belgium was cobbled together from the Catholic bits of the Low Countries in 1830 and has never had a national identity before or since.
Music to make you smile: Django Reinhardt, Toots Thielemans.
Toots’ calling card:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKnG_9q4crA&frags=pl%2Cwn
And if we leave music for a second, Hergé, Franquin, Simenon, François Weyergans…
Jean-Claude van Damme, ahem
Jacobs, Morris, Peyo, Will, Roba, Jijé, van Hamme… [à l’intention de ceux qui aiment la bande dessinée]
If you are in the feeling to maybe discover great but neglected one by Brel: tap on You Tube “Je suis un soir d’été”, “Orly”, and “Les marquises”. Each time, I can’t believe such great lyrics:
La chaleur se vertèbre
Il fleuve des ivresses
L’été a ses grand-messes
Et la nuit les célèbre
La ville aux quatre vents
Clignote le remords
Inutile et passant
De n’être pas un port
Belgium’s greatest contribution to humanity was Father Damian period