André De Vaere (1890-1914): Preludium en fuga
Edgar Tinel (1854-1912): Organ Sonata in G Minor, Op. 29 (1884)
Joseph Callaerts (1830-1901): Petite Fantaisie, Op. 22, No. 2 (1894)
Herman Roelstraete (1925-1985): Toccatella con fughetta on 'Salve Regina', Op. 28 (1961)
Flor Peeters (1903-1986): Concert Piece, Op. 52a (1955)
Camil Van Hulse (1897-1988): Symphonia Mystica, Op. 53 (1953)

Every country has a unique organ music tradition. Yet, much of this organ literature remains less familiar to wider audiences. To celebrate the restoration of the outstanding Klais organ in the Cathedral of the Holy Redeemer in Bruges, titular organist Ignace Michiels presents a wide selection of Flemish organ works, spanning roughly a century from 1884 to 1961, while highlighting the splendor of the sound of this remarkable instrument. {Liner Notes}

Assembled together in this collection is a treasure trove of rarely heard, performed or recorded pipe organ works spanning a wide range of styles, forms and harmonic structures. Due to the fact that André De Vaere died during the Great War at the age of 24, his body of work may be rather limited in number but if his Prelude and Fugue is any indication, there's a Wagnerian scope to his writing. Edgar Tinel was a professor at the Brussels Conservatory where André De Vaere happened to be one of his students. He was also a piano virtuoso which accounts for the complexity of his Organ Sonata's final movement. Joseph Callaerts was a student of Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens, which explains the richly harmonic and lyrical style of his highly congenial Petite Fantaisie, performed here with attention to detail and judicious registration by Ignace Michiels. At the other end of the spectrum lies the strongly rhapsodic Toccatella by Herman Roelstraete, which could easily serve as a brilliant concert piece in any organist's program. Not surprising when you consider that his organ teacher was Flor Peeters and his composition teacher was Marcel Poot. A potent combination of influences. And speaking of Flor Peeters, his Concert Piece opens with a bold statement with upward harmonic leaps which lead into a work full of imaginative and well developed ideas, rich colors, and good use of the organ's power, capped with an extravagant ending. Oddly enough Belgian organist, pianist and composer Camil Van Hulse moved to Arizona in 1923 for health reasons. Once there he founded the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. His five-movement Symphonia Mystica displays his unique and solid convergence of styles and techniques. Its floriferous yet ambiguous final powerful chord does full justice to the (1935/2022) Klais Organ and caps the whole program in glorious fashion.

Pipe organ music enthusiast eager to hear uncharted material? Here you go!