Flanders Music Centre is now Kunstenpunt / Flanders Arts Institute.

Flor Peeters

Franciscus Florentinus Peeters was born on 4 July 1903 in Tielen, the youngest in a family of eleven. The composer grew up in musical surroundings and became intrigued early on with the artistic milieu. During his secondary school years in Herentals and Turnhout he studied piano, organ (with H. Quinen and Jozef Brandt) and violin. At sixteen, Peeters began his studies at the Lemmens Institute in Mechelen, where he took lessons from Lodewijk Mortelmans (composition), Jules van Nuffel (Gregorian chant and analysis) and Oscar Depuydt (organ and liturgical improvisation). Peeters received his final diploma in 1921, becoming second organist at Cathedral of St Rumoldus in Mechelen in that same year. Two years later he became an organ teacher at the Lemmens Institute and chief organist at the cathedral in Mechelen. He also taught organ in Ghent, Tilburg and the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp, where he served as director from 1952 to 1968. Peeters gave annual masterclasses in the United States, as well as in Mechelen starting in 1968. As an organist he enjoyed great renown both in Europe and abroad, giving concerts all over the world. Besides his own compositions, his repertoire included works by Bach, Widor and especially Franck. Peeters also enjoyed an excellent reputation as a teacher. He was the initiator of music pedagogy as a course at Belgian conservatories. The many recognitions of his achievements, received over the course of his life, included honorary doctorates from the University of America (1962) and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (1971). In 1971, Peeters was made a baron, and four years later he also became an honorary citizen of Turnhout. He died in Antwerp on 4 July 1986.

Selective bibliography:
- J. BATE, Flor Peeters at 70, in Musical Times, 114, 1973, p. 185-186
- M.-T. BUYSSENS, Bibliografie meester Flor Peeters, s.l., 1971
- W. GILES, The Organ Music of Flor Peeters, in Journal of Church Music, 9, 1967, p. 8-10, 43
- B. HESFORD, A Companion to Flor Peeters's Opus 100, in Musical Opinion, vanaf 100, 1977
- B. HESFORD, The Organ Works of Flor Peeters, in Musical Opinion, vanaf 100, 1977
- J. HOFMANN, Flor Peeters. His Life and His Organ Works, New York, 1978
- B. MARX, Orgelschulen des 20. Jahrhunderts, in Musica Sacra, 97, 1977, p. 22-35
- G. PEETERS, Charles Tournemire (1870-1939) en Flor Peeters (1903-1986), in Orgelkunst, 12, 1989, p. 157-163
- J. SCHOUTEN, Flor Peeters (1903) ambassadeur van het orgel, in Gregoriusblad, 103, 1979, p. 108-113
- R. SCHROYENS, De koraalpreludia van Flor Peeters. I, in Orgelkunst, 15, 1992, p. 173-183
- R. SCHROYENS, De koraalpreludia van Flor Peeters. II, in Orgelkunst, 16, 1993, p. 33-42
- R. SCHROYENS, Peeters speelt Peeters, in Orgelkunst, 11, 1988, p. 26-33
- P. VISSER, Flor Peeters, organist, Turnhout, 1950

©2003 Peter Bovens, for Flanders Music Centre and MATRIX

Selective discography

	The organ of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral (1970) romanticism, 20th century, Baroque Flor Peeters, Johann Sebastian Bach, Olivier Messiaen, Jeanne Demessieux, Charles-Marie Widor, Noel Rawsthorne, Jean Berveiller, Charles Tournemire (...)		Flor Peeters classical Flor Peeters

Selectieve discografie als componist

	Belgian music for trumpet and piano (2021) romanticism, 20th century Roeland Henkens, Joseph Jongen, Erik Desimpelaere, Erik Desimpelaere, Theo Charlier, Ferdinand De Poppe, Paul Gilson, Flor Peeters (...)		Flor Peeters - Organ music (2019) 20th century Roberto Marini, Flor Peeters
	The Flemish piano sonatina in the 20th century (2016) 20th century Daniel Blumenthal, Flor Peeters, Prosper Van Eechaute, Joseph Ryelandt, Marinus de Jong, Georges Lonque, Jos Van Roy, Godfried Devreese (...)		A bouquet of forgotten flowers (2015) classical Werner van Mechelen, Georges Lonque, Peter Vanhove, Flor Peeters, Henry Georges d'Hoedt, Prosper Van Eechaute, Lodewijk Mortelmans
	Our Lady of Flanders (2012) romanticism, 20th century Wilfried Van den Brande, Antonín Dvořák, Peter Van de Velde, César Franck, Lies Vandewege, Flor Peeters, Inez Carsauw, Lodewijk De Vocht (...)		Flor Peeters - Selected Organ Works (2011) 20th century Peter Van de Velde, Flor Peeters
	Joseph Jongen - Flor Peeters (2006) 20th century Flor Peeters, Joseph Jongen		Flor Peeters - Missa Festiva, Concerto for organ (2003) 20th century Peter Pieters, Vlaams Radiokoor (VRK), Vlaams Radio Orkest, Flor Peeters, Vic Nees, Yoel Levi
	Klara op cd - Wagner °1813 (2003) 20th century, romanticism, Baroque Georg Philipp Telemann, Diverse uitvoerders, Joseph Jongen, Robert Schumann, Peter Knockaert, Flor Peeters		Vlaamse pianomuziek gespeeld door Philibert Mees (2003) classical Philibert Mees, Flor Peeters, Paul Gilson, Peter Benoit, Marcel Poot, Lodewijk Mortelmans, Peter Cabus

Selectieve discografie als medewerker

	Kathedraalmusici der XXste eeuw (1977) choir music Koor De Vedel, Jules Van Nuffel, Maurits Duyck, Flor Peeters

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