Ten Facts about the great Cesar Franck

[presto agitato]

1 - At the age of 14 he was able to play any prelude and fugue from WTC Books 1 and 2

2 -  He played The Piano Concerto in A minor by Hummel at the age of 16.

3 -  At the age of 15, he obtained the first prize for piano, transposing a fugue at sight to the astonishment of the professors.

4 -  He was considered a young master in composition due to his ability to write fugas.

5 - At the age of 18 he was an amazing virtuoso in both intruments (piano and organ)

6 - The "Douze Pièces" are universally considered to be the best of XIXth Century organ music.

7 -  He composed his Concerto for Piano and Organ in G minor whe he was 13.

8 - His "Prelude, Choral and Fugue" was considered by Alfred Cortot the best piano piece ever written.

9 -  His complete name was: César Auguste Jean Guillaume Hubert Franck.

10 - Liszt, having heard César on various occasions and “who knew better than anyone what was needed for success in the world of the salons, lost no time in warning Nicolas-Joseph (César´s Father)...that young César seemed deficient in the social qualities required by the career which had been proposed for him"

 Unfortunately, Liszt’s advice was ignored. This statement by Liszt, though probably quite accurate on his part, by no means should undermine Franck’s playing. He just did not have the personality for a virtuoso career.

[apion]

Thanks for the facts.

Franck is a brilliant composer (one of the top 5 from France) and remains vastly underappreciated.  Also one of the greatest composers for organ of all time.

3 -  At the age of 15, he obtained the first prize for piano, transposing a fugue at sight to the astonishment of the professors.

Yikes, I didn't realize he was such a child prodigy.

[hartman]

Some other important facts:

Franck was Dutch: born in Liège (before 1830)
Franck was Belgian: Liège is a Begian city now, his mother was Wallonne
Franck was German: his father was German
Franck was French: he became French in 1873

MVG,
Hartman

[perfect_pitch]

9 -  His complete name was: César Auguste Jean Guillaume Hubert Franck.

God - Thats almost as bad as Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy

What drugs were the parents on at that time....   

[BoliverAllmon]

wasn't felix Jewish? so maybe not drugs, but some wine?

[hodi]

wow, recommend me on recordings please?

[musicsdarkangel]

he also is said to have had ridiculous huge hands like Rachmaninoff.

[menancyandsam]

wow, recommend me on recordings please?

Awadagin Pratt's cd "A long way from Normal" is a great cd which has Frank's Prelude, Choral et Fugue.  Only recording I ever heard, but it sounds good to me.

[bassoonypiano]

Franck's Symphony in d minor is one of my favorites.  Franck is awesome!

[dmk]

wow, recommend me on recordings please?

for the complete piano music I have Stephen Hough's recording, its is very good.

for just the Prelude Chorale and Fugue if you can get a hold of it the 3 CD Solo Highlights discs from the 2004 Sydney International Piano Competition contains Aussie Daniel Hill (who I think has since changed his surname ?) performing this work.  I personally (as a non-biased aussie!!!) think this is an exceptionally good rendition, well worth the listen if you can get a hold of it!

cheers

dmk

[theodopolis]

Thank God people still recognise Cesar Franck within this forum.

He is, without doubt, the greatest organ composer since Bach. If you don't believe me, believe Liszt instead. This is based on less than two hours of music for the instrument. (Twelve works)

I find the Prelude, Choral & Fugue an astounding work. That Choral melody has to be one of the most elegant examples of how simplicity can transcend virtuosity.
I believe that the amalgamation of the three movements in the final pages of the Fugue demonstrate the finest contrapuntal mastery since the death of Bach.

If you have experienced the power of his piano works, I beg you to listen to his organ works, even if you are solely a pianist. The Three Chorals, which he wrote on his deathbed and never heard on his organ at Saint-Clotilde Paris, are the pinnacle of Franck's musical output. I believe that anyone who has heard Stephen Hough's Franck album may corroborate this.

If you're wondering about Liszt's comments about Franck's personality, I suggest you read the accounts of his pupils. (Louis Vierne in particular)

If you're interested in the comparison of Franck's and Rachmaninoff's hands, take a look at this. The reason for the rather inconsiderate stretches he calls for in his organ works become apparent. (This image is originally a photo too, made into an engraving)

[g_s_223]

The Three Chorales are readily available in a reasonable transcription for pf.2h by Blanche Selva. I play the 2nd in B-minor quite often, it's superb.

[presto agitato]

BTW How difficult is the piano concerto by Hummel?

[apion]

He is, without doubt, the greatest organ composer since Bach.

I quite agree!

[contrapunctus]

His sonata i A major for violin and piano is one of the greatest things ever written (it even sounds good when Mutter is playing it!).

[BoliverAllmon]

His sonata i A major for violin and piano is one of the greatest things ever written (it even sounds good when Mutter is playing it!).

and that says something. I hate Mutter's playing.

[maxy]

good recs: Cortot plays Franck extremely well.   

[presto agitato]

BTW How difficult is the piano concerto by Hummel?

[presto agitato]

I have seen the partiture of Hummel´s Concerto num 1 and it is not a easy at all.
 

[jre58591]

his recently discovered piano concerto no. 2 in b minor is a very well done piece imo
you can hear it at www.classicalarchives.com

[bach-liszt]

I am currently working on Franck's third choral and his Piece Heroique on the organ.  Franck's mystical chromatism is outstanding!!  (I have, by the way, a three manual Allen church organ at my home which I recently purchased.)

Other facts about the great Franck:

    1.)  He was the greatest writer of canons, after Bach.

    2.)  One day Liszt visited Franck at St. Clotilde to hear him play the organ.  Liszt was completely stunned by what he heard.  A plaque at the church commerates this occasion.