Jules Van Nuffel

Jules Van Nuffel (born 21 March 1883 in Hemiksem, died 25 June 1953 in Wilrijk), was a musicologist, composer, and a renowned expert on religious music.

Biography

Van Nuffel studied at the Grand Seminary of Mechelen for the priesthood, in addition to piano, violin, organ, harmony and counterpoint. 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 Mechelen.

Composer

Jules Van Nuffel was a prominent composer of liturgical works. 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

External links

• Literature by and about Jules Van Nuffel in the German National Library catalogue
• Selhorst, Karolien. "Van Nuffel, Jules". Studiecentrum voor Vlaamse Muziek. http://svm.statiklabs.be/content/van-nuffel-jules?display=biography&language=en. Retrieved 8. Juni 2011. 
• Nova Organi Harmonia
• Gregorian Chant Accompaniments, including Volumes I-V, VII and VIII of the Nova Organi Harmonia
• Free scores by Jules Van Nuffel at the International Music Score Library Project

Persondata
Name	Van Nuffel, Jules
Alternative names
Short description	Belgian composer and musicologist
Date of birth	21 March 1883
Place of birth	Hemiksem
Date of death	25 June 1953
Place of death	Wilrijk