Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens

Jacques-Nicolas (Jaak-Nicolaas) Lemmens (Zoele-Parwijs, near Waterloo, Belgium, January 3, 1823 - Sempst, near Malines, Belgium, January 30, 1881) was an organist and a composer for his instrument.

He was a student of François-Joseph Fétis, who wanted to make him into a musician capable of renewing the organ-player's art in Belgium. Fétis sent him to Adolf Hesse in Breslau to learn Johann Sebastian Bach's tradition.
In 1847, he won the prestigious Prix de Rome with his Le roi Lear (King Lear). One year later he published his first work for organ Dix improvisations dans le style sévère et chantant (ten improvisations in a strict and singing style).
In March 1849 he was appointed organ teacher at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles aged 26, and he trained young French talents, including Alexandre Guilmant and Charles-Marie Widor.
In 1852 he gave organ concerts in Saint Vincent de Paul, La Madeleine and Saint Eustache churches in Paris, where he stunned the audience. Particularly notable was his brilliant pedal-playing, which owed a good deal to his studies of Bach's music (at the time Bach's organ works were not well known in France).

1848 Dix Improvisations dans le style sévère et chantant
1862 École d'Orgue, basée sur le plain-chant romain (pedagogisch werk)
1874 Sonate Nr. 1 "Pontificale" d-kl.t.
1. Allegro moderato
2. Adagio
3. Marche Pontificale (Maestoso)
4. Fuga (Fanfare)
1874 Sonate Nr. 2 "O Filii" e-kl.t.
1. Prélude (Allegro non troppo)
2. Cantabile (Andante)
3. Fuga (Allegro con fuoco)
1874 Sonate Nr. 3 "Pascale" a-kl.t.
1. Allegro
2. Adoration (Andante sostenuto)
3. Finale "Alleluia" (Maestoso recitando - Allegro)
Cantabile (Allegretto) si mineur
Fanfare (Allegro non troppo) ré majeur
Finale (Allegro) ré majeur
Prélude à 5 parties (Grave) mi bémol majeur
Prière (Moderator cantabile) ré majeur