L'Annonciation (Suite Mariale), Op. 65, No. 1

Today, April 9th, is the Feast of the Annunciation (transferred). It is the celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus, the Son of God, marking his Incarnation. The day of the Feast is March 25th. Since March 25th fell upon Palm Sunday, the day is "transferred" to an "available" day. This day could not be in Holy Week or in Easter Week, so, today, April 9th is the first available day.

Paul de Maleingreau (23 November 1887 - 9 January 1956), a Belgian composer and organist. Paul Constant Eugène Malengreau was born at Trélon, Nord, France. He later changed his surname to "de Maleingreau". From 1905 to 1912 he studied at the Brussels Conservatory where his principal teachers were Alfons Desmet, Paul Gilson and Edgar Tinel. He began teaching at the Conservatory in 1913 and was professor of organ (succeeding Desmet) from 1929 until 1953. His pupils included Pierre Froidebise, Charles Koenig, Robert Kohnen, Marcel Druart, Paul Sprimont and Herman Roelstraete.

In 1921 and 1922 he was the first to play Bach’s complete organ works in Brussels.

Gregorian plainsong forms the basis of most of Malengreau’s compositions, and indeed part of his output is intended for the liturgy. He also wrote programme music, his organ symphonies being inspired by paintings by Rogier van der Weyden and the van Eyck brothers. While the chromaticism and cyclic treatment of themes reveal the influence of Franck, certain harmonic progressions are typical of Impressionist music.

He died in Brussels in 1956.

"Suite Mariale, Op. 65" was published by Oxford University Press in 1939 and dedicated "To Karl Walter." The first of the four movements commemorates the Annunciation.

It is a colorful miniature, with harmonies and sounds so typical of Maleingreau's lively writing. A brief image, then gone.

The score is attached below, as well as a photo of Maleingreau, and van Eyck's painting of the Biblical scene.