Alleluja op. 54/8

Gerard Bunk (1888-1958) began taking piano and organ lessons in his native Rotterdam, where in particular H. de Vries and his concerts made a lasting impression on him. Bunk then studied in England, Bielefeld and Hamburg, and even taught in Bielefeld for a short while. On a recommendation from Max Reger, Bunk obtained a post as teacher at the Dortmund Conservatory in 1910 and became the organist of Dortmund's St. Reinoldikirche (monumental Walcker organ of 1909) in 1925. He achieved widespread renown as the conductor of the Dortmund Bach Society and other Westphalian oratorio choirs, as a pianist, chamber musician, sought-after vocal accompanist, concert organist and composer (of piano, organ, chamber and vocal music as well as orchestral works - altogether more than 80 opus numbers). His multi-faceted artistic talent brought him into contact with virtually all of the leading personalities of the European, and particularly German (church)-music world. Stylistically, Bunk's organ works (symphonic variations, late-romantic character pieces, lyrical and contrapuntal chorale settings) reflect his orientation on the "Nordic tone" of Grieg, as well as on the style of Liszt, Guilmant, the French organ symphonists and even the "verismo" style. (Wolfgang Kalipp)