Geert van Turnhout

Who was Geert van Turnhout?

Geert van Turnhout was a Flemish composer, who became master of the Flemish chapel in Spain.

He was born in Turnhout. He had a younger brother, also a composer, Jan van Turnhout. Turnhout was employed first at Antwerp, then at the Church of St Gummarus, Lier, Belgium, then in 1562 back to the Cathedral of Our Lady where he was made maître de chant in 1563. On 2 May 1571 Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba engaged Turnhout as maestro de capilla of the Capilla Flamenca Philip II of Spain in Madrid to succeed Jean de Bonmarché. Turnhout arrived in Madrid with a group of singers from the Low Countries. He remained there until his death, when he was succeeded by George de La Hèle.