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- Jongen, Joseph
Duration: 14 minutes
Description: Joseph Jongen (1873–1953) composed his Fantasie on Walloon Christmas Carols, Op. 24 (Fantaisie sur deux Noëls populaires wallons) in 1902, drawing upon two traditional Christmas melodies from Wallonia, the French-speaking region of his native Belgium. Written for orchestra and dedicated to the French publisher Jacques Durand, the work received an early performance in Belgium in late 1902; contemporary biographical sources associate its first performances with Liège and the Concerts Ysaÿe in Brussels. Rather than simply presenting the two carols as arrangements, Jongen develops their melodies within a larger symphonic fantasy, varying and combining the traditional material while retaining the simplicity of the original tunes. Although composed in 1902, the Fantasie was not published by Durand until 1911. An early work in Jongen’s career, it reflects both his Belgian musical heritage and the influence of the Franco-Belgian symphonic tradition that shaped much of his music. Instrumentation:2+1(Picc).2+1(EH).2.2+1(CBsn): 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(2-3): Hp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Reprint edition.