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Anthoni, Frans Theofiel

° Heist-op-den-Berg, 5/02/1850 — † Heist-op-den-Berg, 16/03/1907

Annelies Focquaert (translation: Joris Duytschaever)

His father Jan Baptist, then artistic director of the St Cecilia brassband in Heist-op-den-Berg, gave Theofiel Anthoni (Antony) his first music lessons. Already at a tender age he played in the brass band, and he was only twelve (1862) when he was taught flute-playing by Jan Nicolaus Odufré at the Antwerp Music School. In 1864 he moved on to the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, where he was taught by Jan Dumon, earning First Prize for flute at age sixteen (1866). Shortly after his graduation Anthoni left Belgium to join the orchestra of the French theatre in Cairo (Egypt). Subsequently he undertook a musical tour in France and Germany, where he visited amongst others the old instrument builder Theobald Boehm in Munich around 1880.

In 1885 Anthoni was appointed as flute teacher at the Music School in Antwerp, and in November 1889 to flute teacher at the Conservatory in Brussels, as successor of Jan Dumon; Auguste Strauwen and Jos de Klerk belonged to his pupils, among others. In this period he also accepted the position of solo flute in the orchestra of the Monnaie opera in Brussels. He held these positions till the end of his life.

Peter Benoit's Symphonic Poem for Flute and Orchestra (1864) was dedicated by the composer on the occasion of its publication (around 1890) "with profound gratitude to my friends, the famous flutists Jan Dumon (...) and Théophile Anthoni, flute teachers at the Royal Conservatory and at the Flemish Music School in Antwerp, respectively"; but possibly Anthoni performed this concerto already at a very early age abroad (among others in Dresden and Leipzig). Probably his intimate friendship with Peter Benoit dates back to his student years; several sources also mention that as a youngster Anthoni took composition classes with Benoit.

As recently as 1950 his family at Heist-op-den-Berg still kept some photographs and visiting cards testifying to Anthoni's impressive network of acquaintances and friends: Jan Blockx, Edgar Tinel, Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Nellie Melba, Léo Delibes, Henry Litolff, Edouard Lalo and Siegfried Wagner contributed to his memorabilia. Thus it transpires from the dedication "à Monsieur Théophile Anthony - Flûte solo, Capriccio Espagnol", signed by Rimsky-Korsakov on 13 April 1890, that Anthony had been the soloist in Brussels in this relatively new work for flute and orchestra, conducted by the composer himself.

In 1898 Anthoni was dubbed a Knight in the Order of Leopold; in 1904 his former pupils presented him with a bronze bust of Peter Benoit, sculpted by Arsène Matton, with a view to celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of his tenure at the Conservatory of Brussels (its library holds this bust since 2005). From the beginning of 1900 on a heart condition made it increasingly difficult for him to continue playing and teaching. On 16 March 1907 he died at the age of fifty-seven.

Early in his career Anthoni composed several oratorios and cantatas on texts by Emmanuel Hiel; some of them were performed by the 'Société de Musique' of Antwerp under the baton of Peter Benoit. Parts of them were also performed at Heist-op-den-Berg, as were a couple of duets for flute, when his brother Joseph earned First Prize for flute at the Brussels Conservatory as well. Not much of his oeuvre has been preserved: only a manuscript of a Openingsstuk voor groot orkest (Overture for grand orchestra) is available in the library of the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp. According to notes by René Lambrechts he destroyed quite a few scores after negative criticism. The song Heystes nachtegaal is dood (The nightingale of Heist is dead) by Jan Blockx, sung at a memorial ceremony at Athoni's grave on 29 May 1908, is preserved in the Antwerp Conservatory library.

Ons Nieuws (Heist-op-den-Berg), 1950.

Bibliografie

Anderen over deze componist

  • de Klerk, J.: Herinneringen aan "Heistes Nachtegaal", in: Ons Nieuws (Heist-op-den-Berg), 24 juni 1950. Vervolgt in dezelfde krant op 1 juli 1950 en 8 juli 1950.
  • Dossier Theophile Anthony in gemeentearchief Heist-op-den-Berg, met dank aan archivaris Luk Herteleer.
  • Gregoir, E.: Antony (Th.), in: Les artistes-musiciens belges au XVIIIe et au XIXe siècle, Brussel, 1885, p. 22.
  • Lambrechts, R.: Dankbare hulde aan den Heistsen Nachtegaal Theofiel Anthoni, in: ’t Zwaantje, jaarboek van de Heemkundige Kring Die Swane, Heist-op-den-Berg, 1950, p. 19-23.
  • Lambrechts, R.: Peter Benoit te Heist, in: De Aankondiger, Nieuws- en Aankondigingsblad van 't Kanton Heist op den Berg en Omstreken, 10 maart 1951, jrg. 69, nr. 10, p. 1.
  • N.N.: Heyst-op-den-Berg [bij het overlijden van Theofiel Anthoni], in: De Aankondiger, Nieuws- en Aankondigingsblad van 't Kanton Heist op den Berg en Omstreken, 24 maart 1907, jrg. 23, nr. 44, p. 2.
  • Persoons, G., Leytens, L. & Somers, M.: Historiek, in: Traditie en vernieuwing: Koninklijk Vlaams Conservatorium, 1898-1998, Antwerpen, 1998, p. 88.
  • Roquet, F.: Anthoni, Frans Theofiel, in: Lexicon Vlaamse componisten geboren na 1800, Roeselare, 2007, p. 21.
  • Stockhem, M.: Eugène Ysaÿe et la musique de chambre, Luik, 1990, p. 89.

Historische teksten

Peter Benoit te Heist

René Lambrechts

Verleden donderdag 8 Maart [1951] werd op verschillende plaatsen van ons land de vijftigste verjaardag herdacht van het afsterven van onzen groten nationalen toonkunstenaar Peter Benoit (1834-1901). Bij deze gelegenheid willen wij de jongere generatie en wellicht ook de oudere! - er even aan herinneren dat de beroemde man ook in ons dorp geen onbekende was. Vaak was hij te gast in het huis van Theophiel Anthoni, die toen woonde waar nu dhr. Versluys woont.

Grafredes voor Theofiel Anthoni

een anonieme journalist

Verleden Woensdag, 20 Meert, had alhier de begrafenis plaats van den diep betreurden heer Theofiel Anthoni, Ridder der Leopoldsorde, Leeraar aan de Koninklijke Conservatoriums van Brussel en Antwerpen. Lang voor den aanvang der droeve plechtigheid verdrong zich eene groote en ingetogene menigte rond het sterfhuis, waarvan de breede doorgang in rouwkapel was herschapen en waar de lijkkist onder rijke draperijen en te midden van fonkelende lichten en een' berg van bloemen en rouwkransen was ten toon gesteld.

Herinneringen aan Heistes Nachtegaal

Jos. De Klerk

Heist-op-den-Berg ontdekt ginder ergens in Noord-Holland een Vlaming, van wie het weet dat hij leerling geweest is van "Heistes Nachtegaal", wijlen Theofiel Antoni, wiens eeuw-herdenking van zijn geboortedag in 't zicht is.

Dankbare hulde aan den Heistsen nachtegaal Theofiel Anthoni

René Lambrechts

Honderd jaar is het geleden dat te Heist ter wereld kwam de man die eens de Heistse faam en naam tot ver buiten de dorps-, zelfs buiten de landsgrenzen zou brengen. Ik ben vereerd en fier over Anthoni te mogen schrijven, niet alleen omdat hij een genie, een virtuoos was, maar vooral omdat hij tot de onzen behoorde en de glans, dien hij Heist bijbracht, toch ook een beetje op ons, Heistenaars, afstraalt.

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