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We have little information specifically on the choral tradition in Belgium. Belgium is a largely Catholic country. As far as we know the boy choir tradition disappeared in the Medieval era. It appears to have been revived in the 20th century in association with the revival in France. While we have few specific details about this, we do have some information on individual Belgian choirs.
We have little information specifically on the choral tradition in Belgium. Belgium is a largely Catholic country. As far as we know the boy choir tradition disappeared in the Medieval era. Boy choirs were refounded in British cathedrals in the 19th century. We have no indication that this occurred in Belgium until the 20th centutry. Boy choirs appears to have been revived in the 20th century in association with the revival in France.
A Dutch reader living in America tells us, "I do not know much about modern Dutch choirs, although I am in a choir myself. I was nmot in a choir when I grew up in the Netherlands. I checked some information on the computer. I found some interesting things, like the fact that a boys choir in Flemish Belgium is called a Knapenkoor, while in the Netherlands they call it a Jongenskoor. Of course Flemish is really Dutch, so the use of different terms is interesting."
Choir costumes and school uniforms in Belgium are quite similar to French styles. This is one of the reasons that we think that the revival of the boy choir tradition in Belgium is related to the revival in France. Some of the Belgium choirs continued to wear the uniforms that were first introduced. We see one choir wearing blazers like British choirs, but this does not seem to have been very common. Other Belgian choirs wear blue sweatters and short pants like some French choirs. Actually Belgium being somewhat more traditional than France, traditions have persisted longer in Belgium than in France. We are not yet sure about performance costumes, especially when singing for religious ceremonies. Hopefully a HBC visitor will eventally provide more details and some interesting insights.
Most Belgian choir schools are attached to Catholic colleges. These private schools are high schools, although many also have programs for elmentary-age children. The choir school provides intensive music instruction, but the boys can take advantage of the facilities and
educational opportunities of the school at large. The choir boys wear the same uniform as the other boys. In many catholic schools in Belgium this consisted of: blue sweaters, white shirts worn without ties, blue short pants, white kneesocks, and black leather shoes. In the 1980s the uniforms began to change and now the boys mostly wear long pants--even the choir boys. One choir, however, the Schola Cantorum Cantate Domino still retains the traditinal uniform of blue short pants and white kneesocks.
We note several different boy choirs in Belgium. Some are well known choirs. Available information on individual Belgian choirs is as follows:
The Belgian boys'choir. A Belgian reader reports that
"le choeur d'enfants de Belgique" and "les petits chanteurs de Lessines" are two names for the same choir, the second being the initial name. The choir has reportedly stopped its activities about 1995.
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Choir with the boys wear scout scarves, blue sweaters, blue cord shorts, white knee socks, and black leather shoes. The choir is apparently called the Hummingbirds and make regular concert tours to Canada and other countries.
Modern choir group. They wear red long pants, but have some destinctive costumes for their performance. They include a Tyrolian outfit (leather shorts) and shorts worn with a blue bow and white knee socks. Choir with the boys wear scout scarves, blue sweaters, blue cord shorts, white knee socks, and black leather shoes.
One of the modst accomplished Belgian choirs is the Lessines choir. The choir boys at Lessines for many year wore blue sweaters and short pants with white kneesocks. The choir now wers long pants. This is a style of school uniform that was once worn at some Belgian and French private Catholic schools. The choir stopped functioning for a few years, but is now again opoerating.
The Schola Cantorum Cantate Domino was founded in 1959 by its current conductor, Father Michaël Ghijs. Its members are all pupils or former pupils of the St. Martin's Institute, a regular secundary school in Aalst, a town approximately 25 km from Brussels, the center of Europe. The aim of the choir, as its name expresses, is to sing to the Lord. The choir consists of 90 persons, boys and men, aged between 10 and 40. Didvided into the four traditional voicegroups; Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass.
We have found several other boy choirs in Belgium, but we do not yet have much information about them. In Zele, Belgium, there is a Catholic boys choir "In vehementi spiritu". They sing in the church, but they also travel. In Beveren, Belgium, there is the Knapenkoor St. Martinus Since 1931 "In Dulci Jubilo" Knapenkoor in St. Niklaas (near Antwerp) In Antwerp the Cathedral Boys Choir. There is also a choir in the German-speaking region of Belgium the Eupener Knabenchor (Choeur des
Garçons d'Eupen), a boys choir that sings in German.
Many Belgian uniforms are very similar. In addition, choir costumes and school uniforms in Belgium are quite similar to French styles. Most
Belgian choir schools are attached to Catholic colleges as are the choir boys pictured here. As is the case at many French and Belgian catholic schools, the boys wwear: blue sweaters, shirts worn without ties, blue short pants, white kneesocks, and black leather shoes. These boys wear light blue shirts rather than white shirts. Their distinctive shield will help to identify.
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