A man from Bruges in Paris. There was no shortage of Flemish migrants in Paris in the first half of the 18th century. They were often skilled craftsmen, attracted by the largest market for luxury goods in Europe in what had been an era of peace, stability and economic development since the death of Louis XIV in 1715.
The Flemish migrants tended to be in the same neighbourhoods and can boast artists Antoine Watteau (who became one of the most influential painters in 18th century France); Joseph Suvee (a painter from Bruges who entered and won the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1771) and Hebert Leemans.
What was true for painters was also true for musicians.
Hebert Leemans, originally a citizen of Bruges along with his contemporary Suvee both moved to the French capital at approximately the same time.
Leemans was then to play a significant role in the development of the early French symphonic style.
Terra Nova Collective is based in Antwerp, Belgium a city brimming with history. They say of themselves:
"We firmly believe that archives and libraries from all over the world still hold exceptional pearls of unknown music by composers from the Low Countries. The Southern part of the Low Countries, Flanders, a small region at the heart of Europe, wasnt a musical desert during the eighteenth and early nineteenth century.
The Collective seeks to turn research into practice by giving this music a fair chance to establish itself in the modern day repertoire by means of high-quality recordings and public performances."
