At the beginning of the 17th century, the Brussels court attracted some of the greatest composers and organists of the time, including Peter Philips, Peeter Cornet, John Bull and, somewhat later, Abraham van den Kerckhoven, all of whom explored new ways to make organs sound. Flemish and Walloon organ builders throughout Europe, and particularly in Spain and France, built instruments during this period that would have a profound influence on organ building in those countries.