Arie Van de Moortel


Arie Van de Moortel was a Belgian viola virtuoso, composer and music teacher.
Van de Moortel studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels receiving first prize in viola and chamber music in 1937. He continued his studies on viola with François Broos receiving a further degree in 1939. He then went on to study counterpoint at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent and composition with Prosper Van Eechaute.
He performed in several ensembles including the Trio of the Court of Belgium, the London Piano Quartet, the M. Raskin String Trio, a viola-piano duo with his wife Lydie Lequeux, and was violist in the Orchestra of the National Institute for Radio Broadcasting. He taught chamber music at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent and was director of the Music Academy in Anderlecht.
Van de Moortel won awards for his compositions including the Staf Nees Prize in 1951 for Variations on the Flemish Folk Song "There Was a Little Snow Bird", a composition for carillon, the Società del Quartetto G.B. Viotti composition prize in 1954 for his Trio for Reed Instruments, and the City of Rotterdam Prize in 1957 for his carillon composition Capriccio rondom "Het viel een hemels dauw".
His brother was bassoonist and composer Leo Van de Moortel.

Selected works

;OrchestralSilly Symphony, Op. 2b
;ConcertanteNocturne for clarinet and orchestra, Op. 18 ; also with pianoFantasia sopra la canzone "All voll" for double bass or cello or viola and orchestra, Op. 44 ; also with pianoRondo-Pastorale for violin and orchestra, Op. 45 ; original with piano
;Chamber musicPartita for bassoon, Op. 1
  • Sonatina for piano, Op. 2
  • Trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon, Op. 3
  • Sonata for harp, Op. 8Danse d'Espagne for harp, Op. 10
  • Sonata for viola or cello and piano, Op. 14 Nocturne for clarinet and piano, Op. 18 ; also orchestratedTorensonate for trumpet solo, brass and percussion, Op. 22 Etudes for percussion Etude No. 5 for concert drum and piano Faust et Don Juan for viola and piano, Op. 29
  • Sonata for flute solo, Op. 37 Improvisation sur un thème de choral for recorder and piano, Op. 41 Eerste sonatine for violin and piano, Op. 43 Fantasia sopra la canzone "All voll" for double bass or cello or viola and piano, Op. 44 ; also orchestratedRondo-Pastorale for violin and piano, Op. 45 ; also orchestratedVariazioni for violin and piano, Op. 47 Loin des torches de Prague for narrator, viola and piano, Op. 48 Wiegelied van Cro-magnon for double bass and piano, Op. 49 Zonnestraal for violin and piano, Op. 50 Sonata ostinata for violin and organ, Op. 53
;CarillonSonatine in ré, Op. 5 Variaties op het vlaams volkslied "Er zat een sneeuwwit vogeltje" Capriccio rondom "Het viel een hemels dauw", Op. 20 La Folia, Op. 21 ; also orchestrated
;KeyboardToccata en Koraalfantasie for piano, Op. 7 Kies een kaart for piano, Op. 17 No. 1 L'homme au parapluie for 2 pianos and harmonium, Op. 24 Links en rechts for piano, Op. 25 Weerbericht for piano, Op. 29
;VocalZes puntdichtjes for medium voice and piano or orchestra, Op. 15 Le bouffon de Tintagel for tenor, instrumental ensemble and percussion, Op. 26Projet for medium voice and piano or orchestra, Op. 33 No. 1 Sees for medium voice and piano or orchestra, Op. 33 No. 2 Conte pastoral for medium voice and piano or orchestra, Op. 34 Les Cordamont for narrator, medium voice, instrumental ensemble and percussion, Op. 35 Miserere for medium voice and piano, Op. 35b Imagerie for medium voice and piano, Op. 36 ; also for children's chorus and orchestraQue Dieu m'accueille avec les oiseaux for soprano or tenor and piano, Op. 51 ; words by Armand Bernier
;ChoralDrie Vlaamse volksliederen for vocal trio and piano Oude prent for children's chorus and piano or orchestra, Op. 16 Trèfle à trois feuilles for children's chorus and piano or orchestra, Op. 19 Mazarinade for vocal trio or men's choir a cappella, Op. 23 No. 2 Drej Yiddische Lieder for children's chorus and piano, Op. 28 Vier kinderrijmpjes for children's chorus and orchestra, Op. 31 Imagerie for children's chorus and orchestra, Op. 36 ; also for medium voice and piano