This album features recordings made on two different organs: a Cavaillé-Coll organ in Amsterdam (1977) and a Schyven/Flentrop organ in Oostende, Belgium (2002).
Compositional Technique
In Boëllmann's musical style, the melodic aspect is almost always more prominent than the rhythmic or harmonic aspects, which is why he also composed beautiful songs.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Boëllmann's organ music was influenced by the idea of the organ as a church instrument, requiring a language understandable to a wide audience, which led to a different style compared to his 'secular' music.
Album & Artwork
The album is dedicated to the memory of Herman Koemans (1961-2003), who was an organ builder, organist, and a good friend of the performer.
Instruments
The Cavaillé-Coll organ in Amsterdam, built in 1881, is the only one of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll's Dutch instruments that has been preserved intact.
Composer Biography
Léon Boëllmann, the composer, was born in Alsace in 1862 and studied at the Ecole Niedermeyer in Paris, where he was influenced by notable figures like Gigout, Saint-Saëns, and Fauré.
Performer Biography
Piet van der Steen, the organist on this album, won the First Prize at the 'Nationaal Concours César Franck' in Haarlem in 1976 and has recorded complete organ works of composers like Maurice Duruflé and Louis Vierne.
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