The name Lemmens did not only have significance for his students, but also for several critics.
Jaak Nikolaas Lemmens (1823-1881) had an enormous impact on the art of the organ music in
France in the nineteenth century. The American public knew him as a result of his three Organ
sonatas. The works of Bach and other composers like Mendelssohn mainly influenced his
performance. Lemmens was seen as a French organist and in the nineteenth century it was not
common for a French organist to include works of German composers in concerts due to the
mainstream of playing, which was improvisation. He also taught his students on the model of
Bach. Hesse introduced Lemmens to the German organ style.
One of his students, Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911), carried on with this tradition. He went on
to become one of the great organ-composers of the nineteenth century and was also one of the
first to compose a sonata. Guilmant often included the works of German composers in his
recitals and had insight into the works of Mendelssohn on his many visits to England.
Although both these composers were French, they came under the influence of the German organ
tradition. The formal structures, counterpoint and fugues included in their sonatas, are a direct
reference to the Trio sonatas of JS. Bach and the organ sonatas of Mendelssohn.
In this study, a short introduction to the organ tradition in nineteenth-century France will be
given as well as some information about Lemmens and Guilmant. The influence of the German
organ tradition on the Three Sonatas of Lemmens and the Eight Sonatas of Guitmant will be
shown and it will be proven that indeed the German masters had an influence on the French
organ music of the nineteenth century. / Thesis (M.Mus.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NWUBOLOKA1/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/310 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Rabie, Lindi |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | North-West University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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