François Servais 

This page is dedicated to my current PhD (VUB/KCB) artistic research on Belgian cellist François Servais (1807-1866).



In the manuscript of one of his compositions, François Servais signs with 'Jean Poumbak'. it's a nickname which translates as 'Johnny Sink' in the Brussels dialect. In the same piece, he writes 'più mosselen' ('more mussels') instead of 'più mosso', which means 'more intense' in musical terminology. These are unexpected and striking references to his sense of humour, and his characteristic blending of local elements into his music.

At this stage of my research, I want to find out whether there is more to it than just a one-off joke that got out of hand. Is there a pattern to be discerned in this humorous approach to 'serious composition'? Is there perhaps a substantive link with the way his compositions are structured, and how does this (lack of) seriousness fit into the spirit of the times in 19th century Brussels?

Next to analyzing and performing his music, my current goal is to investigate a possible link between the 19th century Brussels phenomenon known as 'Zwans' and Servais' musical language. 

Zwanze (or zwans) is a 19th-century,, specifically Brussels-based, form of humorous, often absurd, and mocking banter, farce, or exaggeration, which was particularly prevalent in the city's popular culture and folklore. Key characteristics of this phenomenon include:

  • Rabelaisian Humor: It is a mischievous, loud, and often vulgar style of humor that thrives on exaggeration and absurdity.
  • Brussels Heritage: Inseparable from the local dialect, Zwanze typically blends Flemish and French into a unique, localized form of expression.
  • The Zwanzeur: Practitioners, known as zwanzeurs, would deliver absurd or exaggerated stories with "solemn seriousness," often mocking their audience while acting as the deadpan straight man. They would gather in 'cercles' such as Cercle des Agathopèdes or Cercle Des Joyeux, of which members had strong ties with, for example, the Royal Conservatory.
  • Self-Mockery: The essence of this humour is captured in the saying: "Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they will never be laughed out".
The term is synonymous with a specific brand of chaotic, often biting wit that is central to the identity of Brussels, and has lasted from the 19th century through at least the Second World War. 



Presentations related to this research
- 'We have abandoned serious forms!'. Reflections on form and content in the works of François Servais. (2024)
- 'François-Servais-de-Barbarie?'. A fantasy on the influence of 'orgue de Barbarie' players in 19th-century Brussels on Servais' compositional output (2025)