Jules Van Nuffel

Jules Van Nuffel (21 March 1883 – 25 June 1953) was a Belgian priest, musicologist, composer, and a renowned expert on religious music.

Born on 21 March 1883 in Hemiksem, Belgium, Van Nuffel studied at the Grand Seminary of Mechelen for the priesthood, in addition to piano, violin, organ, harmony and counterpoint. He was ordained priest by Cardinal Mercier on 25 May 1907. As a cantor at Mechelen Cathedral, he founded the cathedral choir, and directed it until 1949. In this connection, he collaborated with the organist at the cathedral, the renowned Flor Peeters. Also, from 1918 until his death (in Wilrijk, Belgium), on 25 June 1953, Van Nuffel directed the Lemmens Institute in Leuven.

A nationally prominent composer of liturgical works (though little known outside his native land), Van Nuffel numbered among his favorite composers Bach, Wagner and Debussy. The numbering of the psalms, which he composed for the liturgy, follows the Latin Psalter.

One of his crowning achievements was the creation of the Nova Organi Harmonia. This was an eight-volume collection of Gregorian accompaniments, composed by Van Nuffel himself, along with Peeters, Jules Vyverman, Marinus de Jong, and other professors at the Lemmens Institute. The Nova Organi Harmonia was reprinted in many editions after World War II.