Fantasia in d, W.133

The composer Abraham van den Kerckhoven (~1618-1701) came from an art and music-loving family - indeed, some of his ancestors were already active as organists in Brussels, where the young Abraham also took up an organist position at the Sint-Katharinakerk in 1633, which he held until the end of his life, i.e. for almost 70 years. From 1648, he also succeeded Johann Kaspar Kerll as chamber organist to the governor of the Spanish Netherlands, Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, and was probably also the first organist of the Royal Chapel between 1658 and 1684.

Most of Abraham van den Kerckhoven's organ works are preserved in a manuscript by the priest and organist J. I. J. Cocquiel from 1741, which is now kept in the Bibliotheque Royale in Brussels and contains a total of 365 pieces, some of which are reproduced anonymously, by various composers - including liturgical organ pieces, fantasies, preludes and fugues under Kerckhoven's name, which show how diverse the musical influences were that Kerckhoven incorporated into his compositions.