Franck Prelude, Chorale and Fugue

[phil13]

WOW I just listened to this great work for the first time today. It's stunning. 

Does anyone know how difficult the work is overall? The difficulty of each of the 3 sections? Has anybody here played it?

Phil

[steinwaymodeld]

I don't know how hard this is, but It's defiantly up there as one of the greatest piano composition along with liszt sonata and wanderer fantasy.

Good luck learning it!

[dnephi]

It's very difficult- as is the equally fine Prelude aria, and finale.

Sometimes pianists choose to instead play a transcription of a similar piece which is easier than both of those, I don't remember the name off the top of my head.

It's pretty hard, but it's awesome music! :p.

Dan

[pianowelsh]

difficult piece..technically and interpretatively. FRSM if that means anything to you.  My teacher described it as a roof piece.  you build the foundations and walls then the roof.  Most of the people who played it at college left it till final year Bmus or the masters programme... so its not a walk in the park. It is fantastic though and an excellent one to study if not perform. Very good for developing sense of line and also keyboard geography.

[phil13]

I've been on a Franck rampage these past few weeks, completely obsessed with his music. I've been listening to Stephen Hough's CD of his solo piano music, the quintet, the violin sonata, and the 3 piano and orchestra pieces over and over...I just can't get enough of it. 

I have come to the realization, though, that almost all of Franck's music, and especially the Prelude, Chorale and Fugue, requires a musical maturity, in addition to technical nightmares that I am just not ready to put up with. I actually wasn't planning on learning in now, as you might have thought, but rather seeing how far away a goal it is. The other work I was looking at, the concerto-symphonic poem Les Djinns, is the same way, though I might be closer to studying that than the PC&F.

Perhaps the best place to start is with the Danse Lente. It looks ridiculously easy compared to the rest of his music, and it's very short. A perfecty place to learn Franck's language and style. 

Phil

[dnephi]

Les Djinns isn't very hard, and it's excellent music.

Its only weakness is Franck's fondness for piling up a succession of climaxes...

As if that was bad .

[phil13]

Les Djinns isn't very hard, and it's excellent music.

Its only weakness is Franck's fondness for piling up a succession of climaxes...

As if that was bad .

Yeah, not very hard if you can reach an 11th easily. 

Perhaps in another 6 months or so.

Phil

EDIT: Also, have you read the Hugo poem that it's based on? There's a reason for all those climaxes. Not that there's anything wrong with them. 

[dnephi]

You plan to grow a span of 2 notes more in 6 months?

Dan

[jre58591]

Yeah, not very hard if you can reach an 11th easily. 

thats one of the reasons why i regret not looking at this when i was picking a piano/orchestral piece.

[phil13]

You plan to grow a span of 2 notes more in 6 months?

Dan

No, I can reach a 10th now. I plan to grow a span of 1 note. 

Seriously, I'm taking a break from large works right now. I can do without learning a 50-page piece right now. Plus, there are some little subtle problems I have with the technique in the Franck.  Perhaps it's easier for you, but if my teacher thinks I should hold off on it, I'm gonna trust him firsthand.

Phil

[phil13]

thats one of the reasons why i regret not looking at this when i was picking a piano/orchestral piece.

Hey now, there's nothing wrong with the piece you picked.

Phil

[jre58591]

Hey now, there's nothing wrong with the piece you picked.

true, but i do like to have my options open, as you know.

[dnephi]

No, I can reach a 10th now. I plan to grow a span of 1 note.

Seriously, I'm taking a break from large works right now. I can do without learning a 50-page piece right now. Plus, there are some little subtle problems I have with the technique in the Franck. Perhaps it's easier for you, but if my teacher thinks I should hold off on it, I'm gonna trust him firsthand.

Phil

Always trust your teacher.  As for me, I've given up hoping for a larger span- compression or playing it "A La Scriabin" are the only things I could do, and I'd choose which one based on the piece. 

It's a good piece, and rather unfairly neglected. 

PS what did you choose, jre?

[jre58591]

i chose to play arensky's fantasia on russian folksongs. i needed a short piano/orchestral piece that is approx 10 minutes.

[mchiuan]

thats one of the reasons why i regret not looking at this when i was picking a piano/orchestral piece.

[cbreemer]

I've played it, sort of. The purely technical difficulties are not staggering, nothing compared to his
violin sonata which is an absolute beast for the pianist, but to convincingly pull off the 3-theme peroration of the fugue requires incredibly mature pianism and complete control.