Joseph Callaerts
Encyclopedia
Joseph Callaerts was a Belgian organist
, carillon
eur, composer
and music teacher. He was an important member of the Belgian school of organ playing.
at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels
, and he won the first prize in organ at that institution in 1856.
Starting in 1850, Callaerts served as the organist at the Jesuit College in Antwerp. In 1855 he became the organist at Antwerp Cathedral and in 1863 he became carilloneur of the city of Antwerp. From 1867 on, he taught organ and harmony
at the Antwerp School of Music (Antwerpse Muziekschool), which had its name changed to the Royal Flemish Conservatory in 1898. He also gave expert advice in the building of several organs.
Callaerts's compositions include an opera called Le Retour imprévu, a symphony, a piano concerto, an organ concerto, chamber music, choral music, songs and many works for solo organ.
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
eur, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and music teacher. He was an important member of the Belgian school of organ playing.
Biography
Joseph Callaerts was born in 1838 in Antwerp, and spent nearly all of his life in that city. He started learning music when he was a boy, singing in Antwerp's choir of the Cathedral of Our Lady. As a young man, he studied the organ with Jacques-Nicolas LemmensJacques-Nicolas Lemmens
Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens , was an organist and composer for his instrument.Born at Zoerle-Parwijs, near Westerlo, Belgium, Lemmens took lessons from François-Joseph Fétis, who wanted to make him into a musician capable of renewing the organ-player's art in Belgium...
at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels
Koninklijk Conservatorium (Brussels)
The Royal Conservatory of Brussels is a drama and music college in Brussels, Belgium. An academy for acting and the arts, it has been attended by many of the top actors and actresses in Belgium such as Josse De Pauw, Luk van Mello and Luk De Konink....
, and he won the first prize in organ at that institution in 1856.
Starting in 1850, Callaerts served as the organist at the Jesuit College in Antwerp. In 1855 he became the organist at Antwerp Cathedral and in 1863 he became carilloneur of the city of Antwerp. From 1867 on, he taught organ and harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
at the Antwerp School of Music (Antwerpse Muziekschool), which had its name changed to the Royal Flemish Conservatory in 1898. He also gave expert advice in the building of several organs.
Callaerts's compositions include an opera called Le Retour imprévu, a symphony, a piano concerto, an organ concerto, chamber music, choral music, songs and many works for solo organ.