Jules Van Nuffel
Jules Van Nuffel (21 March 1883 – 25 June 1953) was a Belgian priest, musicologist, composer, and a renowned expert on religious music.
Biography
Born on 21 March 1883 in Hemiksem, Van Nuffel studied at the Grand Seminary of Mechelen for the priesthood, in addition to piano, violin, organ, harmony and counterpoint. He was ordained priest by Cardinal Mercier on 25 May 1907.[1][2] As a cantor at the St. Rumbold's Cathedral he founded the St. Rombouts' choir, and directed this famous choir until 1949. He collaborated with the organist at the cathedral Flor Peeters.
From 1918 until 1953 Van Nuffel directed the Lemmens Institute in Leuven.[3] Van Nuffel died in Wilrijk on 25 June 1953.
Composer
Jules Van Nuffel was a prominent composer of liturgical works.[4] His favorite composers were Bach, Wagner and Claude Debussy. The numbering of the psalms, which he composed for the liturgy, follows the Latin Psalter.
One of his crowning achievements was the creation of the Nova Organi Harmonia. This was an eight-volume collection of Gregorian accompaniments, composed by Van Nuffel himself, Flor Peeters, Jules Vyverman, Marinus de Jong, and other professors at the Lemmens Institute. The Nova Organi Harmonia was reprinted in many editions after World War II.
Selected works
- Christus vincit, for four-part male voice choir
- Ave Maria, for four-part choir
- Super flumina Babylonis (Psalm 136), op. 25 (1916), for four-to-six-part choir and organ (or orchestra)
- Missa in honorem S.S. Cordis Jesu, op. 28, for four-to-six-part choir and organ
- Statuit ei Dominus, op. 30 (1924), for four-to-six-part choir and organ (or orchestra)
- In convertendo Dominus (Psalm 125), op. 32 (1926), for four-to-seven-part choir and organ
- Ecce sacerdos magnus, op. 34 (1926), for six-part choir and organ
- Josephsmesse, for three-part female choir
- Domine, ne in furore tuo arguas me (Psalm 6), op. 44 (1935)
- Laetatus sum (Psalm 121), op. 45 (1935), for four-part choir
- Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi (Psalm 141), op. 47 (1935) for eight-part choir
- Dominus regnavit (Psalm 92), op. 49 (1935) for four-to-six-part choir and organ
- Ad te Dominum cum tribularer clamavi (Psalm 119), op. 50 (1936)
- Ad te levavi oculos meus (Psalm 122), op. 51 (1935)
- Te Deum, op. 62 (1944) for choir, brass ensemble and organ
References
- ↑ Van Espen 2006, p. 30.
- ↑ "Biografie - Jules Van Nuffel". julesvannuffel.be. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ Van Espen 2006, p. 86.
- ↑ Fellerer 1961, p. 261.
Sources
- Van Nuffel, Eugeen (1967). Mgr Jules van Nuffel 1883-1953: Herinneringen, getuigenissen en documenten (in Dutch). OCLC 563151298.
- Van Espen, Nele (2006). “Muziek verzacht de zeden?” Jules Van Nuffel (1883-1953): schepper van liturgische schoonheid (Thesis) (in Dutch). Louvain University. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- Fellerer, Karl Gustav (1961). The history of Catholic Church music. Baltimore: Helicon Press – via Questia.
External links
- Selhorst, Karolien. "Van Nuffel, Jules". Studiecentrum voor Vlaamse Muziek. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
- Website about Jules Van Nuffel (1883–1953), a website (in Dutch and English) about the composer including a biography, overview of works and media references
- Nova Organi Harmonia
- Free scores by Jules Van Nuffel at the International Music Score Library Project