The history of the classical guitar in Flanders
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You can find a short resume of the contents here:

Since the Middle Ages we can find in Flanders traces of the guitar, mostly written sources. Wandering musicians were often familiar with the instrument. We can see images of guitars in a number of renaissance-paintings in Flanders. An edition by Phalesius (Louvain, 1570) is the eldest known guitar book in Flanders.
In the baroque period we can see the guitar pictured by famous Flemish painters as Jordaens, Teniers, Coques, Rombouts... The Italian guitarists Francesco Corbetta and Giovanni Foscarini lived for a while in Brussels. There is information about Flemish luthiers in Italy; some of them were building guitars as well. Very little is known about Flemish guitarists in the 17th century.
François Le Cocq compiled a guitar book in 1729. The eldest guitars in Flanders were built in 1790-1820 by Lamblin, Delannoy and Bastien. A number of compilations were edited in Brussels and Ghent; the guitar appears mostly as accompaignment.
During the 19th century a lot of international guitarists performed (mostly in Brussels): Huerta, Szczepanowski, Makaroff, Coste, Bayer, Darr, Ciebra, Regondi. Zani de Ferranti, a famous italian guitarist, lived for a long time in Brussels. The most important guitar event in Flanders was a guitar concours in 1856, organised by Makaroff. Numbrous guitarists and builders from all over Europe took part.
The guitar was not popular in Flanders after 1856. Since 1920 Frans De Groodt started promoting the guitar, a new period of succes was begun.
Since World War II guitar popularity has increased enormously in Flanders, especially since 1965. The classical guitar was taught in academies and music highschools. The most important guitarists of the moment in Flanders are Raphaëlla Smits, Yves Storms, Roland Broux, Godelieve Monden, Petra Vermote, Ida Polk-Droessaert, Albert Sundermann, Geert Claessens. Since 1978 students can follow courses in guitar building as well. 
  

Bart Van der Donck
(c) 1997-1999

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