The Belgian composer Joseph Ryelandt (1870-1965) was a humble and reverent man, writing in 1940: 'If it is God's will that my works be propagated some day in the future, then it will happen'. Toccata Classics cannot knowingly claim divine intervention as explanation of this first release in a series exploring Ryelandt's chamber music for piano and strings but offers this entirely unknown but thoroughly attractive repertoire - honest and sincere music downstream from Debussy, D'Indy and Faur� - as evidence of a long life well lived.