Anné, Frans

Annelies Focquaert (translation: Jo Sneppe)

Frans Anné studied trombone at the Royal Flemish Conservatory in Antwerp with Peter Roupcinsky. For this instrument he obtained the First Prize maxima cum laude as well as the State Medal. Subsequently he took private lessons of harmony, counterpoint, fugue and composition with Karel De Schrijver. In 1950 he earned the diploma for fugue from the Belgian Music College in Antwerp. From 1949 to 1974 he was a teacher at the music academy of Hemiksem. Concurrently he was very active in several (often liberal) symphonic wind orchestras and brass bands in and around his native region, such as the Royal Brass Band St Cecilia in Rupelmonde (1945-1979), the symphonic wind orchestra 'Bond der Eerste Wijk' (Society of the First District) in Antwerp (1950-1970), the Royal Brass Band 'De Broederband' (Brothers Band) in Antwerp (1963-1972), the Symphonic Wind Orchestra St Cecilia in Hemiksem (1964-1974), the Royal Symphonic Wind Orchestra 'Vooruit zonder vrees' (Forwards without fear) in Niel (1968-1978) and the Royal Brass Band St Cecilia in Steendorp (1968-1979).

He mainly composed works for symphonic wind orchestras and brass bands, for instance Kaisersteinbruck (1944), Intermezzo in dansvorm (1945), De Rupelzonen (1952), Sinte-Cecilia Steendorp 125 (1960); in addition also music for wind instruments such as Concertstuk nr. 1 voor bazuin (trombone) en klavier (1945), Grootvaders vertellingen (Grandfather's Stories) for alto saxophone and brass band or symphonic wind orchestra (1951), a prelude and fugue for four trombones; some songs and two operettas De Losbol (The Rake) (1947) and De Vlinder (The Butterfly) (before 1957).

It is difficult to know where his compositions are located at present: presumably they are kept in his family or in the diverse archives of the symphonic wind orchestras and brass bands which he conducted.