Joseph Ryelandt

Joseph Ryelandt (1870–1965) was a Belgian composer best known for his large-scale sacred works. His five oratorios—including Purgatorium, Maria and Christus Rex—were central to his output and won him international recognition. Alongside these, he composed symphonies, concertos, piano sonatas, chamber music, and more than sixty art songs, many on texts by Guido Gezelle. Steeped in late-Romantic traditions yet marked by his own lyrical voice, Ryelandt saw music as a spiritual vocation, crafting works of beauty, depth, and devotion that remain vital contributions to Belgian musical heritage.