Herman Van San

Herman Van San was born on 19 March 1929 in Mechelen and died in the same city on 26 October 1975. He studied music theory and piano with Gabriel Minet in Brussels, Law, Physics and Philosophy at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. On the basis of an analytical positivism and formal mathematical methodology, he aimed at applying the new findings of physics to sound production and the organisation of sound in a composition. The instrumental works of 1953 - 1954 belong to the earliest applications - in a very thorough and strict way - of an analytical-mathematical and symbolic-logical method. Herman van San is still largely unknown. Nevertheless, in terms of music history, he must be considered as being part of a small group of pioneers. His scores from the period 1951 - 1952 are examples of a rigorous application of dodecaphony. Indeed, the level of formalisation is much more rigorous and clearer than any to be found in the works of Schoenberg or Webern.