July 4 - Flor Peeters (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Flor Peeters (4 July 1903 – 4 July 1986) was a Belgian composer, organist and academic teacher.  (The situation described in the verses is entirely imaginary.)

[For last year's short note on Cathy Berberian click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mechelen Guide; of, Rumblings from Rumbold’s

Peeters was organist at Mechelen Cathedral (St. Rumbold’s) from 1923 to his death in 1986. --- adapted from Wikipedia

Flor Peeters played for sixty years,

     In fact a little longer,

And would be playing still, one fears,

     If God had made him stronger.

For sixty years he ruled the keys,

     For sixty years he played there,

For sixty years he tried to please,

    With music that he made there.

Though Peeters was a man of fame,

     Of scholarship and piety,

The congregation’s not to blame

     To want a little variety.

And though, at last, his destined grave

     Has stilled the master’s fingers,

St. Rumbold’s claims that in the nave,

     Reverberation lingers.

 

 

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