Snel, Joseph-François
Snel, Joseph-François
Snel, Joseph-Françoi, s Belgian violinist, conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Brussels, July 30, 1793; d. Koekelberg, near Brussels, March 10, 1861. He studied violin with Corneille Vander Nicolas in Brussels, then continued his training with Baillot and Dourlen at the Paris Cons. In 1818 he founded in Brussels the Académie de Musique et de Chant (with Mees). He popularized in Belgium the instructional singing methods of Galin and Wilhem; was an inspector of army music schools (1829). He conducted at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie (1831–34), and was made conductor of the Société Royale de la Grande-harmonie (1831), maître de chapelle at the Church of St. Michel et Ste. Gudule (1835), and head of the music of the Civic Guard (1837). In 1847 he became a member of the Classe des Beaux-arts of the Belgian Royal Academy.
Works
DRAMATIC: ballet (all first perf. in Brussels): Frisac, ou La double noce (Feb. 13, 1825); Le page inconstant (June 27, 1825); Le cinq juillet Quly 9, 1825; in collaboration with C.-L. Hanssens Jr.); Pourceaugnac (Feb. 3, 1826); Les enchantements de Polichinelle (March 8, 1829); Les barricades (Feb. 3, 1830). OTHER : Symphonie concertante; Violin Concerto; 2 clarinet concertos; Clarinet Concertino; various pieces for Wind Band; chamber music; sacred and secular vocal works; piano pieces.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire