Heritage Collections of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels

The Heritage Collections of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels are the historic music library holdings of the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel (Royal Conservatory of Brussels). The library was founded in 1832 as a school library for the newly established conservatory. Its first director, Joseph-François Fétis, expanded its mission beyond a purely pedagogical function, laying the foundations for an internationally oriented music heritage collection. A landmark acquisition came in 1841 with the purchase of the German music collection of Jacob H. H. Westphal, which included autographs and manuscripts by C. P. E. Bach, Telemann and Hertel. Fétis's successor, François-Auguste Gevaert, continued this collecting policy together with librarian Alfred Wotquenne, acquiring the Wagener collection of about 8,000 documents, including autographs and unique prints. From the early 20th century onward, donations and acquisitions greatly expanded the holdings with works from Belgium and abroad. During the 20th and 21st centuries, collection development increasingly focused on local heritage, from the purchase of the Saint-Gudula collection — about 450 manuscripts from the 18th century from the Brussels church that became St. Michael's Cathedral — to the acquisition of the collection of the former Belgian Music Information Centre, CeBeDeM. Since the early 1960s the collection has been officially open to the general public, meeting public demand for access to the music collection. On 9 September 1966 the Brussels Conservatory split into two autonomous institutions for higher music education; the consequences for the library remained limited. Today the Heritage Collections are organized into thematic and provenance-based groupings, including holdings of music collectors, composers' archives, theme collections, and collections of ensembles and organizations, musicians, and musicologists. The library provides on-site services such as reading-room consultation, borrowing for students and professors, reproductions of out-of-copyright items, and online services including acquisition suggestions and reproduction requests. Due to the relocation of the collection as part of the renovation of the conservatory site, normal services have been necessarily restricted, with consultation by appointment only during certain periods and no services during others. The Heritage Collections remain a key resource for musicological research and a custodian of Belgium's musical heritage.

The library of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels was founded in 1832, initially serving as a school library for the newly established conservatory. The director at the time, Joseph-François Fétis, considered this mission too limited. From his music-pedagogical point of view, combined with his personal interests as a musicologist, he laid the cornerstones for an internationally oriented music heritage collection. The highlight of his library policy was the purchase in 1841 of the German music collection of Jacob H. H. Westphal, which includes autographs and manuscripts of C. P. E. Bach, Telemann and Hertel. François-Auguste Gevaert, second director of the conservatory, continued Fétis's policy. He in turn purchased, in collaboration with the librarian Alfred Wotquenne, another impressive German collection, that of Wagener. It contains about 8,000 documents, including autographs and unique prints. Complemented by a considerable amount of donations and numerous acquisitions, the library's collection has grown greatly since the early 20th century with works from Belgium and abroad. During the 20th and 21st centuries the collection development focused more on local heritage, ranging from the purchase of the collection Saint-Gudula, about 450 manuscripts from the 18th century, from the Brussels church which became St. Michael's Cathedral, to the acquisition of the collection of the former Belgian Music Information Centre, CeBeDeM. Since the early 1960s the collection is officially open to the general public. In this way the library can meet public demand for access to the music collection. On 9 September 1966 the Brussels Conservatory split into two autonomous institutions for higher music education. The consequences for the library remain limited because the library continued to serve both institutions. Today the Heritage Collections are organized into thematic and provenance-based groupings, including holdings of music collectors, composers' archives, theme collections, and collections of ensembles and organizations, musicians, and musicologists. The library provides on-site services such as reading-room consultation, borrowing for students and professors, reproductions of out-of-copyright items, and online services including acquisition suggestions and reproduction requests. Due to the relocation of the collection as part of the renovation of the conservatory site, normal services have been necessarily restricted, with consultation by appointment only during certain periods and no services during others.

• 1966

  On 9 September 1966 the Brussels Conservatory split into two autonomous institutions for higher music education; consequences for the library remained limited.

• 1960

  Since the early 1960s the collection is officially open to the general public.

• 1841

  Purchase of the German music collection of Jacob H. H. Westphal, including autographs and manuscripts of C. P. E. Bach, Telemann and Hertel.

• 1832

  Library founded as a school library for the newly established Royal Conservatory in Brussels.

• François-Auguste Gevaert and librarian Alfred Wotquenne acquire the Wagener collection of about 8,000 documents.

• Purchase of the Saint-Gudula collection, about 450 manuscripts from the 18th century, from the Brussels church that became St. Michael's Cathedral.

• Acquisition of the collection of the former Belgian Music Information Centre, CeBeDeM.

Internationally oriented music heritage collection and research resource within the Royal Conservatory of Brussels Library, open to the public since the early 1960s.

• Westphal collection

  German music collection purchased in 1841, including autographs and manuscripts of C. P. E. Bach, Telemann and Hertel.

• Wagener collection

  About 8,000 documents, including autographs and unique prints, acquired by Gevaert and Wotquenne.

• Saint-Gudula collection

  About 450 manuscripts from the 18th century, from the Brussels church that became St. Michael's Cathedral.

• CeBeDeM collection

  Collection of the former Belgian Music Information Centre.

1. 1Heritage Collections | Koninklijk Conservatorium Brusselkcb.be
2. 2HISTORY | Koninklijk Conservatorium Brusselkcb.be
3. 3About Us | Koninklijk Conservatorium Brusselkcb.be
4. 4Services | Koninklijk Conservatorium Brusselkcb.be
5. 5Heritage collections of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels - Wikidatawikidata.org