Gheyn Matthias van den, Van den Gheyn, Ghein, Gein, Gheine, Gheineus, *7 April 1721 Tienen (Brabant), †22 June 1785 Leuven, Flemish carillon virtuoso, organist, composer, and theorist.
He came from a well-known family of bell founders active from the 15th to the 19th century. In 1741 Gheyn became organist, and in 1745 also carillonneur of the Church of St. Peter in Leuven, where he remained active until his death. His successor as organist of St- Pierre Church was probably his son, Josse Thomas van den Gheyn (*1752).
Gheyn, regarded as one of the most outstanding carillon virtuosos, was renowned for his brilliant improvisations. He gave carillon music an elaborate formal structure and high artistic value (preludes). His organ fugues and harpsichord sonatas show the influence of Handel.
Literature: X. van Elewyck M. van den Gheyn, le plus grand organiste et carillonneur belge du XVIIIe siècle, Paris 1862, Utrecht 21972; G. van Doorslaer Les van den Gheyn, fondeurs de cloches, canons, sonnettes et mortiers, à Malines, Antwerp 1910.
Compositions:
12 petites sonates pour l’orgue ou le clavecin et violon, Leuven n.d.
Suites pour le clavecin, Leuven 1750
Six divertiment [!] pour le clavecin, Leuven n.d., London 1760
manuscripts of approx. 50 works preserved in the library of the Conservatoire Royal de Musique in Brussels, including carillon preludes and fugues, organ preludes and fugues, and harpsichord pieces such as sonatas, arias, rondos, marches, and minuets
Writings:
Fondements de la basse continuë, avec les explications en françois et en flamand. Deux leçons et douze petites sonates…, Leuven ca. 1764
Traité d’harmonie et de composition, Leuven 1783
Editions:
Recueil de productions légèrens pour clavecin ‘(ou piano) de M. van den Gheyn, ed. X. van Elewyck, Brussels 1863
Morceaux fugués de M. van den Gheyn, eds. X. van Elewyck, J. N. Lemmens, Brussels 1865
6 suites and 6 harpsichord divertimenti, 2 organ preludes, and 2 carillon preludes, in: Collection d’œuvres composées par d’anciens et célèbres clavecinistes flamands, vol. 1, ed. X. van Elewyck, Brussels 1877
individual works in various anthologies, including: Les Maîtres anciens néerlandais, vols. 2 and 3, Paris 1945, 2nd ed. 1949
