CCMusic.com

Hendrik Andriessen (1892-1981) was one of the most important Dutch composers of the 20th century. Born into a family of church musicians he became the organist of the churches in Haarlem and Utrecht, and held several prominent positions in Dutch musical life. One of his highly gifted children is Louis Andriessen, the famous avant-garde composer. Andriessen's organ works are firmly rooted in his Roman-Catholic faith and it's church music tradition. His monumental Chorales are modeled on the Chorales by César Franck: the grand symphonic conception, the spiritual depth and the harmonic language. Performed by Benjamin Saunders on the magnificent Grand Organ of Leeds Cathedral, perfectly suited to the large scale of these visionary works.