Absil, Jean (Nicolas Joseph)

(b Bonsecours, Hainaut, 23 Oct 1893; d Uccle, Brussels, 2 Feb

1974). Belgian composer. He studied the organ, the piano and
harmony with Alphonse Oeyen, organist of Bonsecours. He continued
his studies at the Ecole St Grgoire, Tournai, where he gave his first
organ recital in 1912. In 1913 he entered the Brussels Conservatory
to study with Desmet (organ), Edouard Samuel (practical harmony)
and (from 1915) Lunssens (written harmony). He took a first prize for
organ and harmony in 1916 and, after a year's further work with
Paulin Marchand (counterpoint) and Lon Du Bois (fugue), another
for counterpoint and fugue. Abandoning the idea of a career as an
organist, he went to Gilson for composition lessons (192022). In
1921 his First Symphony won the Agniez Prize; in 1921 he took the
second Belgian Prix de Rome with the cantata La guerre and was
appointed director of the Etterbeek Music School. From 1930 he
taught practical harmony at the Brussels Conservatory, where he was
made professor in 1936. In 1934 he won the Rubens Prize and
stayed for a time in Paris. Then with Dotremont and Leirens he
founded the Revue internationale de musique (1938); in the same
year the Piano Concerto, composed for the Ysae Competition,
brought him to international notice. For some time he was president
of the Belgian section of the ISCM. He was appointed professor of
fugue at the Brussels Conservatory and at the Chapelle Musicale
Reine Elisabeth in 1939, retiring in 1959. In 1955 he was elected to
the Belgian Royal Academy, and in 1964 he received the Prix
Quinquennial of the Belgian government.
Absil's conservatory training introduced him to no music later than
Franck, and with Gilson he studied only the orchestration of Wagner,
Strauss and the Russian nationalists. It was at the concerts given in
Brussels by the Pro Arte Quartet that he came to know the work of
Milhaud, Hindemith and Schoenberg, and he attended rehearsals in
order to penetrate their scores more deeply. He dedicated his op.9
choruses (1932) to Berg, who sent a warm letter of thanks, and
during his Paris stay he met Milhaud, Honegger, Ibert and Schmitt,
with whom he struck up a friendship. In imitation of the Parisian
Concerts Triton, he collaborated with Chevreuille, Poot, Souris and
other young Belgian composers in founding the La Sirne series for
performing new music in Brussels and abroad. Faced with public
incomprehension Absil published his Postulats de la musique
contemporaine (Huy, 1937), a brief essay with a preface by Milhaud.
In it Absil claimed that the distinction between consonance and
dissonance is meaningless and that polytonality has existed since the
Middle Ages, The Rite of Spring being its first full expression. He
considered atonality to be less readily acceptable in Latin or Nordic
countries than in central Europe.
In his earliest works Absil was clearly under the influence of his
teachers: the Rhapsodie flamande, for example, is in the Gilson
tradition. With La mort de Tintagiles, however, he sought a more

individual manner, but his style was formed in the chamber music that
he wrote after 1934. This style is essentially polyphonic and
polymodal, with different modes used in each work, although there is
a predilection for intervals of an augmented 4th and a diminished
octave. Changes in metre and irrational divisions are frequent;
sometimes there are superimpositions of triple and binary metres, or
of differently divided gruppettos, so producing characteristically
vigorous effects. Often cast in variation or other conventional forms,
Absil's music has great structural clarity. An evolution took place after
1938 when he attempted to make his work more accessible, but
without removing its distinctiveness. From drama and ruggedness his
music turned to settled charm. He followed Bartk, whose work he
much admired, in studying, from 1943, the peasant music of Romania
and other countries, and several of his works use folk or folk-like
themes. But in 1963 Absil appeared to stop making concessions to
public taste and devoted his efforts almost exclusively to instrumental
music.
WORKS
dramatic
Op: Peau d'ne, op.26 (H. Ghon), 1937; Le chapeau chinois, op.64 (M. FrancNohain), 1944; Les voix de la mer, op.75 (R. Lyr), 1951
Ballets: Le miracle de Pan, op.71 (Lyr), 1949; Epouvantail, op.74 (E. de Sadeleer),
1950; Les mtores, op.77 (Lyr), 1951
Radio op: Ulysse et les sirnes, op.41 (J. Bruyr), 1939; Pierre Breughel l'Ancien,
op.73 (Lyr), 1950
orchestral
Sym. no.1, d, op.1, 1920; La mort de Tintagiles, op.3, 19236; Rhapsodie flamande,
op.4, 1928; Berceuse, vc, orch, 1932; Vn Conc. no.1, op.11, 1933; Petite suite,
op.20, 1935; Sym. no.2, op.25, 1936; Pf Conc. no.1, op.30, 1937; Rhapsody no.2,
op.34, 1938; Andante symphonique, op.35 bis, 1939; Vc Concertino, op.42, 1940;
Serenade, op.44, 1940; Variations symphoniques, op.50, 1942; Va Conc., op.54,
1942; Rhapsodie roumaine, op.56, vn, orch, 1943; Sym. no.3, op.57, 1943
Conc. grosso, op.60, wind qnt, str, 1944; Jeanne d'Arc, op.65, 1945; Rites, op.79,
band, 1952; Rhapsodie brsilienne, op.81, 1953; Mythologie, op.84, 1954; Croquis
sportifs, op.85, band, 1954; Divertimento, op.86, sax qt, orch, 1955; Introduction et
valses, op.89, 1955; Lgendes d'aprs Dvok, op.91, band, 1956; Suite d'aprs le
folklore roumain, op.92, 1956; Suite bucolique, op.95, str, 1957; Fantaisie
concertante, op.99, vn, orch, 1958; Rhapsodie bulgare, op.104, 1960; 2 danses
rituelles, op.105, 1960
Triptyque, op.106, 1960; Fantaisie-humoresque, op.113, cl, str, 1962; 3 Fanfares,
op.118, brass band, 1963; Rhapsody no.6, op.120, hn, orch, 1963; Concertino,
op.122, va, str, 1964; Vn Conc. no.2, op.124, 1964; Nymphes et faunes, op.130,
band, 1966; Pf Conc. no.2, op.131, 1967; Allegro brillante, op.133, pf, orch, 1967;
Sym. no.4, op.142, 1969; Sym. no.5, op.148, 1970; Fantaisie-caprice, op.152, a
sax, str, 1971; Gui Conc., op.155, 1971; Ballade, op.156, a sax, pf, orch, 1971;
Dits, op.160, 1972; Pf Conc. no.3, op.162, 1973
chamber
Str Qt no.1, op.5, 1929; Pf Trio, op.7, 1931; Str Qt no.2, op.13, 1934; Wind Qnt,

op.16, 1934; Str Trio no.1, op.17, 1935; Str Qt no.3, op.19, 1935; Fantaisie
rhapsodique, op.21, 4 vc, 1936; Qt no.2, op.28, 4 vc, 1937; Sax Qt, op.31, 1937; Pf
Qt, op.33, 1938; Pices en quatuor, op.35, sax qt, 1938; Concert 5, op.38, fl, str
trio, hp, 1939; Str Trio no.2, op.39, 1939; Fantaisie, op.40, pf qt, 1939; Str Qt no.4,
op.47, 1941; Suite, op.51, vc, pf, 1942; Sicilienne, fl/ob/cl/sax, pf, 1950; Contes,
op.76, tpt, pf, 1951
Suite, op.78, trbn, pf, 1952; Suite sur des thmes populaires roumains, op.90, sax
qt, 1956; Silhouettes, op.97, fl, pf, 1958; Burlesque, op.100, ob, pf, 1958; Sonatine
en duo, op.112, vn, va, 1962; Sonata, op.115, a sax, pf, 1963; Qt, op.132, 4 cl,
1967; Croquis pour un carnaval, op.137, 4 cl, hp, 1968; 5 pices faciles, op.138, cl/a
sax, pf, 1968; Suite no.2, op.141, vc, pf, 1968; Suite mystique, op.145, 4 fl, 1969;
Sonata, op.146, vn, pf, 1970; Suite, op.149, tpt, pf, 1970; 4 esquisses, op.154, ww
qt, 1971; Pf Trio no.2, op.158, 1972; Images stellaires, op.161, vn, vc, 1972
instrumental
Pf: 3 impromptus, op.10, 1932; Sonatina, op.27, 1937; 3 pices, op.32, right hand,
1938; Marines, op.36, 1939; Sonatina no.2 (Suite pastorale), op.37, 1939;
Bagatelles, op.61, 1944; Grande suite, op.62, 1944; Hommage Schumann, op.67,
1946; Esquisses sur les 7 pchs capitaux, op.83, 1954; Variations, op.93, 1956;
Echecs, op.96, 1957; Danse rustique, 1958; Passacaglia in memoriam Alban Berg,
op.101, 1959; Rhapsody no.5, op.102, 2 pf, 1959; Danses bulgares, op.103, 1959;
30 tudes prparatoires la polyphonie, op.107, 1961; Du rythme l'expression,
op.108, 1961; Grande suite no.2 Hommage Chopin, op.110, 1962; Sonatina no.3,
op.125, 1965; Humoresques, op.126, 1965; Ballade, op.129, left hand, 1966;
Asymtries, op.136, 2 pf, 1968; Alternances, op.140, 1968; Feries, op.153, 1971;
Posie et vlocit, op.157, 1972
Gui: 10 pices, op.111, 1962; Suite, op.114, 1963; 3 pices, op.119, 2 gui, 1963;
Pices caractristiques, op.123, 1964; Suite, op.135, 2 gui, 1967; Contrastes,
op.143, 2 gui, 1969; Sur un paravent chinois, op.147, 1970; 4 pices, op.150, 1970;
Petit bestiaire, op.151, 1970; 12 pices, op.159, 1972
Other: Chaconne, op.69, vn, 1949; 3 pices, op.121, bandoneon, 1964; Etude,
drum, 1964; 3 pices, op.127, org, 1965; Sonata, op.134, vn, 1967; Entre
solennelle pour un Te Deum, org, 1968
choral
La guerre, op.2 (cant., V. Gilles), 1922; 3 choeurs, op.6 (H. Malteste, I. Gilkin, E.
Verhaeren), female 3vv, pf, 1930; 3 pomes, op.9 (A. Cantillon), 4vv, 1932; 3
choeurs, op.14 (P. Reboux, Cantillon, Verhaeren), 4vv, 1934; 3 choeurs, op.15 (P.
Fort), children 2vv, orch, 1934; 3 choeurs, op.18 (Fort), children, orch, 1935; 3
choeurs, op.24 (F. Bataille, P. Brohe, anon.), female 3vv, pf, 1936; Alcools, op.43
(G. Apollinaire), 4vv, 1940; Philatlie, op.46 (cant., T. Braun), 1940
Les bndictions, op.48 (cant., Braun), 1941, Chansons de bonne humeur, op.49 (T.
Klingsor), female 2vv, orch, 1942; Les chants du mort, op.55 (cant., Rom. trad.),
1943; Bestiaire, op.58 (Apollinaire), chorus 4vv, 1944; Printemps, op.59 (M.
Carme), children, orch, 1944; Zoo, op.63 (J. Sasse), chorus 4vv, 1944; Thrne
pour le vendredi-saint, op.66 (cant., E. de Sadeleer), 1945; L'album colorier, op.68
(cant., Sadeleer), 1948; Le zodiaque, op.70 (cant., Braun), 1949
Le cirque volant, op.82 (cant., Sadeleer), children 2vv, pf, orch, 1953; Colindas,
op.87 (Rom. trad.), female 3vv, 1955; Chansons plaisantes, op.88 (Rom. trad.),
children 2vv, orch, 1955; Chansons plaisantes, op.94 (Fr., etc. trad.), children 2vv,
orch, 1956; 6 pomes, op.109 (Carme), children 3vv, 1961; Petites polyphonies,

op.128, chorus 2vv, orch, 1966; A cloche-pied, op.139 (Carme), children, orch,
1968; Le chant l'cole, op.144, children, 1969
vocal
Cimetire (Moras), Mez/Bar, pf, 1927; 3 mlodies, op.8 (Brohe, Cantillon), v, pf,
1927 [expanded into 5 mlodies (Gilkin, Brohe, V. Hugo, J. Moras, Klingsor),
192737]; 5 mlodies, op.12 (M. Maeterlinck, Valry, Hugo), Mez, str qt, 1933; 4
pomes (Maeterlinck), op.12, 3 for Mez/Bar, pf, 1 for S/T, pf, 1933; Nostalgie
d'Arabella, op.22 (M. Beerblock), A, a sax, pf, perc, 1936; Batterie, op.29 (J.
Cocteau), S/T, pf, 1937; Berceuse (C. Morgenstern), 1v, pf, 1938; 3 pomes, op.45
(Klingsor), Mez/Bar, orch, 193840; Enfantines, op.52 (M. Ley), Mez/Bar, pf, 1942; 2
pomes, op.53 (F. Jammes), S/T, pf, 1942
Chanson de 4 sous (Fort), Mez/Bar, pf, 1942; Phantasmes, op.72 (H. Michaux, L.
Hughe, Beerblock [incl. op.22]), A, a sax, pf, perc, 1950; Rves, op.80 (R. Lyr), 1v,
pf, 1952; Heure de grce, op.98 (Carme), S/T, pf, 1958; 3 vocalises, op.116,
Mez/Bar, pf, 1963; Cache-cache, op.117 (Carme, E. Vollne), Mez/Bar, pf, 1963
MSS in B-Bcdm

Principal publishers: Berben, Bosworth, CeBeDeM, Chester, Eschig, Lemoine, Schott (Brussels),
Universal

BIBLIOGRAPHY
CeBeDeM directory
Catalogue des oeuvres de compositeurs belges: Jean Absil
(Brussels, 1957) [CeBeDeM publication]
R. Wangerme: La musique belge contemporaine (Brussels, 1959)
R. de Guide: Jean Absil (Tournai, 1965)
R. Wangerme and P.Mercier: La musique en Wallonie et
Bruxelles (Brussels, 198082), ii, 40003
P. Rasp, ed.: Jean Absil (Brussels, 1993)
HENRI VANHULST