The ear of Theodoor Van Loon

In the artistic  landscape of the Southern Netherlands, Theodoor van Loon (1581/82-1649)  occupies a unique place, yet his name is virtually unknown to the  general public. However, seventeenth-century authors were not sparing  with their praise for this painter: 'Apelles of the Netherlands'  (Erycius Puteanus 1612); 'Painter of excellent works' (abbot Geldolf van  Rijckel 1631); 'A remarkable painter in his day' (Sanderus 1659);  '[Painter with] high esteem' (Cornelis de Bie 1662).

Just as  twentieth-century artists moved to New York and discovered their very  own art scene, van Loon was deeply effected by Italian painting and by  his contacts with circles of scholars in Rome, the then capital of art,  where he stayed several times. The Eternal City, however, was also the  seat of the papal power and van Loon was particularly interested in the  avant-garde of post-Tridentine art. Indeed, though his oeuvre may be far  less known than that of his rival Peter Paul Rubens, after his return  to the Southern Netherlands van Loon played a barely overestimated role  in formulating and spreading a modern pictorial aesthetic that could  give shape to the spiritual renewal that the Catholic Church had in  mind.

This programme highlights the musical environment of van  Loon both in Rome and at the Brussels court of Albrecht and Isabella.  For the first time, the chaplains in Brussels are assembled together at  the time of van Loon: Géry Van Ghersem, Peter Philips, Nicolaus a  Kempis, Giuseppe Zamponi and Pedro Rimonte. Van Loon's stay in Rome is  illustrated with both works of the then ‘conservative’ style (Francesco  Soriano, pupil of Palestrina) and of the new, aspiring class  (Mazzocchi). And of special note is the fact that Giuseppe Zamponi was a  fellow of van Loon’s in both Rome and Brussels!

The programme  that Paul Van Nevel has created for this CD at the request of BOZAR is  the ideal listening guide for discovering Theodoor van Loon's oeuvre.

“…The  intelligence with which (this recording) has been put together and  performed, designed to soundtrack the exhibition of van Loon in  Brussels, but far too good to leave just to the art enthusiasts.”
Andrew McGregor, Record Review BBC Radio 3

This production came about with the support of the Flemish government.