On May 25, it will be 50 years since composer Jef Tinel passed away. This nephew and pupil of Edgar Tinel was an organist, conductor, music teacher and director of the music school in Maldegem. Besides the well-known song 'Wij zijn bereid' (which he himself conducted at numerous IJzerbedecations and singing festivals), he composed art songs, choral works, music for organ, piano, string orchestra, wind band and symphony orchestra. Here follows a musical portrait...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO64VGQUgfE
2 compositions for organ: In exitu & Sortie
The organ symbolizes the beginning and end of Jef Tinel's musical career.
Jef Tinel, laureate in organ, wind band, counterpoint and fugue (Lemmensinstituut), began his career as an organist in Zele (Sint-Ludgerus), Maldegem (Sint-Barbara) and Sint-Amandsberg near Gent (H. Hart). He ended his active musical life as an organist in Gent (Augustijnenkerk Sint-Stefanus).
Naturally, organ works take a large place in his compositional oeuvre, alongside songs, choral works and compositions for piano and orchestra.
Here we present 2 organ pieces:
1) In exitu: an organ arrangement of a fragment for choir and orchestra from his mystery play Mozes;
2) Sortie: a typical composition for liturgical use
Zomerzang
Jef Tinel was primarily known for his vocal works. Both songs and choral music flowed from his pen.
The song Zomerzang by Tinel on a text by Jan H. EECKHOUT (1900-1978) was composed on November 30, 1923. The poet came from Sluis and Jef Tinel was at that time organist in Maldegem. Two villages close to each other.
Besides this version with piano accompaniment, there is also a version of this song with string orchestra accompaniment. However, there are no sung recordings. Peter Leys, Jef Tinel expert, made a computer performance of one of many of Tinel's works in order to bring the songs back to life and thus encourage musicians to perform them themselves again.
O kom met mij in de lentenacht
A second song we would like to highlight is O kom met mij in de lentenacht. In July 1921, Tinel composed this song to a text by Pol De Mont (1857-1931). Here in an instrumental version for piano, performed once again by a computer.
7 international folk songs
Jef Tinel composed folk songs, religious and secular choral music in addition to art songs. Below follows an instrumental computer performance of a collection of German folk songs.
Instrumental version of 7 choral arrangements (mixed choir and men's choir) of international folk songs:
1. Röslein auf der Heide
2. Das Mühlenrad
3. Abendlied
4. Traue Liebe
5. Ich hab mich ergeben
6. Mij Sarie Marais
7. Piet Hein
O kom met mij in de lentenacht
Besides folk and art songs, religious and secular choral music, piano and organ works, he also composed for small instrumental ensembles, string orchestra, wind band and symphony orchestra. For large orchestra he wrote two Suites, a Fantasia for trumpet and orchestra and Herdenking. In his stage music for Mozes (text Toon de Mindere) and Fra Angelico (text Jef Crick) as well as in his Halewijncantate (text Raf Verhulst) he also used a large orchestra alongside choir and vocal soloists.
Around 1942, Jef Tinel composed a Suite for orchestra. In total he eventually wrote two. This "Waltz" is the first movement of this 1942 suite.
On May 25, 2022, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of this composer. We celebrate this with an extensive overview of Tinel's life and oeuvre written by Peter Leys.
— these texts are revised blog posts by Jef Tinel expert Peter Leys and are published with the author's permission.
You can find the composer's scores for free in the digital Petrucci library: IMSLP.