Trained first as an organist, the Belgian composer Jean Absil taught for many years at the Brussels Conservatory, where he had formerly studied. His initially conventional style developed into a more contemporary musical language through contact in Paris with composers such as Honegger and Milhaud.

Instrumental Music

Absil’s best-known work remains his early Rhapsodie flamande. He left a varied quantity of orchestral music, including concertos and rhapsodies that use folk material from other countries. He produced an equally varied body of chamber music, piano works and compositions for guitar, together with, for the theatre, incidental music, ballets and an opera.

Choral and Vocal Music

Absil’s choral works and songs show a discriminating choice of texts, with the former including repertoire for children’s voices.