Like Camille Saint-Saëns, the other leading French organist and symphonist of his generation, Franck never won much acceptance from the French musical establishment. Where Saint-Saëns became bitter and combative, Franck withdrew into himself and ignored the criticism.
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What happened to César Franck's only symphony?
The Symphony in D Minor is the most famous orchestral work and the only mature symphony written by the 19th-century Belgian composer César Franck. After two years of work, the symphony was completed in August 1888, and premiered at the Paris Conservatory on 17 February 1889, only a year before Franck died. Franck employed a cyclic structure in ...
What is the form of César Franck Symphony in D minor?
· In the wake of the Franco-Prussian War, the Symphony’s marriage of French style with the influence of Wagner and Liszt was seen as a nationalistic betrayal. Following the disastrous premiere, Franck was happy and undeterred, saying “It sounded well- just as I thought it would!”. Today, of course, it’s Franck’s music which endures as ...
Is this France's most significant late-19th century Symphony?
The Symphony in D minor is the best-known orchestral work and the only mature symphony written by the 19th-century composer César Franck.The work is unusual in being in three, rather than the traditional four, movements. It employs a cyclic form, with important themes recurring in all three movements.. The symphony was premiered in Paris on 17 February 1889 and despite …
What makes César Franck’s Piano Quintet special?
· This neglect would have come as a major surprise for audiences, orchestras, and conductors even a generation ago, when Franck's work was one of the fixtures of the symphonic canon, a piece that ...
What is Cesar Franck known for?
César Franck, in full César-auguste Franck, (born Dec. 10, 1822, Liège, Neth. —died Nov. 8, 1890, Paris, France), Belgian-French Romantic composer and organist who was the chief figure in a movement to give French music an emotional engagement, technical solidity, and seriousness comparable to that of German composers.
How old was Cesar Franck when he died?
67 years (1822–1890)César Franck / Age at death
Did Cesar Franck have children?
Georges FranckGermain FranckCésar Franck/Children
Who wrote the Organ Symphony?
Camille Saint-SaënsSymphony No. 3 / ComposerCharles-Camille Saint-Saëns was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic era. Wikipedia
What is the meaning of Franck?
Origin:French. Popularity:25885. Meaning:from France or free one.
Where is Cesar Franck from?
Liège, BelgiumCésar Franck / Place of birth
When did Cesar Franck live?
December 10, 1822 – November 8, 1890César Franck / Years of Living
What key signature was used in the musical score of Saint-Saëns symphony?
C minorThe Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op.
What is the most well known movement of Saint-Saëns composed 1886?
The Carnival of the AnimalsFollowing a disastrous concert tour of Germany in 1885–86, Saint-Saëns withdrew to a small Austrian village, where he composed The Carnival of the Animals in February 1886. From the beginning he regarded the work as a piece of fun.
What was the only remembered of the three operas composed by Camille Saint-Saëns?
Samson & DalilaSamson & Dalila is Saint-Saëns' only opera in the repertoire.
Who composed Organ Symphony No 3?
Camille Saint-SaënsOrgan Symphony No 3 / Composer
Who is the composer who is a close friend of Camille?
The reputation these awards garnered him resulted in his introduction to Franz Liszt, who became one of his closest friends. At the age of 16, Saint-Saëns wrote his first symphony; his second, published as "Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major," was performed in 1853 to the astonishment of many critics and fellow-composers.
How many movements are in St Saens Organ Symphony?
two movementsIt's a symphony written by French composer Saint-Saëns cast in two movements. It has been a crowd favorite ever since its premiere in London's St.
What is the most significant French symphony of the nineteenth century?
Along with Saint-Saëns’ “Organ” Symphony, written around the same time in 1886, the D Minor Symphony may be the most significant nineteenth century French symphony- the continuation of a symphonic tradition largely neglected in French music since Berlioz’ 1830 Symphonie Fantastique .
Who was César Franck?
This is how music critic Philip Hale described the Belgian-born French composer , César Franck (1822-1890). Franck was a widely respected organist (performing at Paris’ Basilica of Saint Clotilde, pictured above) and teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. He came to prominence as a composer only in his later years. He was estranged from his overbearing and vindictive father. His wife despised most of his music, considering it too “emotional” and “sensuous.” As a composition teacher, Franck’s approach grew out of his organ improvisation and was free of theoretical dogma. Revered by his students (who included Vincent d’Indy and Ernest Chausson), he fell victim to the jealousies of Conservatoire faculty. French musicologist Léon Vallas wrote that Franck “ with his simple and trusting nature was incapable of understanding…how much back-chat of the nastier kind there could be even in a Conservatoire whose atmosphere he himself always found kindly disposed towards him.”
What is the second movement of Allegretto?
The second movement ( Allegretto) combines the traditional slow movement and scherzo. The nostalgic, pastoral lament of the English horn, the oboe’s lower sister, emerges over glistening harp and string pizzicati. This is joined by the hushed, ghostly strands of string tremolo.
What is the opening of the first movement of Beethoven's String Quartet?
The opening of first movement ( Lento – Allegro, ma non tango) draws us, immediately, into an atmosphere of darkness and haunting mystery. A questioning motive emerges in the low strings. It’s closely related to a fragment in the introduction of the the final movement of Beethoven’s last String Quartet ( No. 16, Op. 135 ), which Beethoven inscribed with the words, “Must it be?” and a direct quote of the beginning of Franz Liszt’s Les Préludes . The first movement unfolds through a series of sweeping modulations reminiscent of a masterful organ improvisation. In fact, in Franck’s hands the orchestra becomes a living, breathing pipe organ. Instruments are mixed and doubled as if a rich array of stops are being negotiated. Nowhere does this orchestral organ become more powerful than in this passage in the development section in which the opening motive soars to awesome new contrapuntal heights.
Does the finale of the book return as quotations?
The finale takes up all the themes again, as in [Beethoven’s] Ninth. They do not return as quotations, however; I have elaborated them and given them the role of new elements.
What was César Franck's last work?
Of these, the Symphony in D minor was one of his last works. It was first performed only a year before Franck died.
What was the criticism of Le Ménestrel's use of brass?
Franck's use of the brass was criticised as being too blatant, with cornets added to the usual orchestral trumpets. At a later hearing of the work, Le Ménestrel balanced criticism and praise: it found the music gloomy and pompous, with little to say, but saying it "with the conviction of the Pope pronouncing on dogma".
What is the coda in the symphony?
The coda, which recapitulates the core thematic material of the symphony, is an exultant exclamation of the first theme, inverting its initial lugubrious appearance and bringing the symphony back to its beginnings.
How many movements does Franck have?
Like Berlioz, Franck departed from the customary four-movement form of the classical symphony of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven; unlike Berlioz, whose symphony has five movements, Franck limited himself to three. He dedicated the work "To my friend Henri Duparc " (a former pupil and now a colleague in the Société).
When was the symphony of the symphony premiered?
The symphony was premiered in Paris on 17 February 1889 and despite dividing musical opinion, at the time and subsequently, it entered the international orchestral repertoire. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries it has been less frequently heard in concerts than it was earlier in the 20th century, but since the 1920s it has received more than 70 recordings by orchestras and conductors from around the world.
What is the D minor symphony?
Symphony in D minor (Franck) The Symphony in D minor is the best-known orchestral work and the only mature symphony written by the 19th-century composer César Franck. The work is unusual in being in three, rather than the traditional four, movements. It employs a cyclic form, with important themes recurring in all three movements.
What is Allegretto known for?
Allegretto. Famous for the haunting melody played by the cor anglais above plucked harp and strings. The movement is punctuated by two trios and a lively section that is reminiscent of a scherzo. Finale: Allegro non troppo. The movement begins with a joyful and upbeat melody and is written in a variant of Sonata form.
What is César Franck's only symphony?
César Franck's only symphony has all but disappeared from our concert halls. That's a great shame, says Tom Service. This is a remarkable and radical work. 'Genuine joyousness'... César Franck (1822 - 1890).
Who criticised the 1888 Symphony?
The currently fashionable criticism of the 1888 work is summed up by its early detractors such as Charles Gounod, who called it "incompetence pushed to dogmatic lengths", and Maurice Ravel, who criticised the work's stodgy orchestration. Charles Lamoreux rejected it for performance in his concert series, the most important in Paris, and so the premiere had to be given by students of the Conservatoire where Franck was professor. Factionalism and feuding defined the reaction to that 1889 performance: Franck's pupils, Vincent D'Indy among them, were in raptures, while others censured the symphony because it " outraged the formalist rules and habits of the stricter professionals and amateurs ".
What is the most significant late 19th century symphony in French music?
The result, alongside Saint-Saëns's Organ Symphony, is French music's most significant late-19th century symphony.
What is the central movement of the Symphony?
But we're not through yet: the central movement of the symphony is a hybrid of slow movement and scherzo, which starts with a gentle thrumming of pizzicato strings and harp before another of Franck's best tunes, this time for cor anglais. (This caused a bit of a stushie at the premiere, when some wag, criticising Franck for his colouristic adventure, apparently asked whether Haydn and Beethoven had ever used a cor anglais in their symphonies - forgetting that Haydn's 22nd symphony has prominent parts for two cor anglais.) This is a melody whose chord progressions sound to my ears like an unconscious memory of the ancient hymn Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, which Franck, one of the world's greatest ever organists and improvisers, would have known. (It's also, incidentally, a melody that subconsciously influenced Thomas Adès in the second movement of his Asyla .) Through metrical magic, turning slow music into fast and back again, Franck elegantly elides scherzoid music with this haunting tune, just another candidate in this symphony for an irrepressibly infectious ear-worm.
What is the meaning of César Franck's music?
1890) was a polarizing figure in 19th-century French music. An organ professor at the Conservatoire, he led what amounted to a composition class for students who resisted the officially sanctioned path of learning to write operas in the currently popular style. Drawn to Franck’s own progressive compositions and his artistic integrity, they responded with an extraordinary loyalty that approached worship. They glorified the man they called “Father Franck” or “Pater Seraphicus” as a supremely disinterested artist devoted to writing pure and sublime works instead of merely entertaining the public. For these disciples—whom opponents derisively labeled “Franck’s gang” ( la bande à Franck )—his music symbolized the triumph of faith over doubt and good over evil. Despite his personal gentleness, Franck attracted intense opposition from colleagues at the Conservatoire and other conservative quarters, most notably Camille Saint-Saëns, and his music knew little success in his lifetime. (The composer’s genuinely serene response to harsh antagonism deeply struck his supporters.) Battles between Franck’s admirers and detractors raged for many years after his death. Admirers even argued among themselves over his legacy. Many of the so-called franckistes allied with Vincent d’Indy stressed the spiritual content of his music, in both vocal and instrumental works. Others, such as Romain Rolland and Franck’s son Georges Franck, saw him as a great composer of secular music; Georges promoted his father’s operas, while Rolland insisted that the passionate eruptions and sensual emotions of the Piano Quintet and his multimovement symphonic poem Psyché revealed more earthly concerns underneath his genuine Catholic faith. Opponents of franckisme pointed to his Belgian birth and Germanic ethnicity in order to exclude him and his followers from the French tradition. When examining period literature on Franck, the reader should consider the author’s artistic, religious, and sociopolitical biases, because these often strongly inform that writer’s perspective on the man and his music. Franck remains controversial for 21st-century scholars, if for more strictly musical reasons. For many years writers typically confined themselves to generic and subjective observations about Franck’s music, and often they devoted more space to its alleged faults than to its virtues. Since the centenary of Franck’s death, however, important scholarship has appeared regularly, especially in Germany and France; except for the organ music and the Symphony in D Minor, analytic studies in English remain sparse.
Who studied with Franck?
176n). Biography, his style of improvisation, cyclic process in the String Quartet, teaching, and the hostility directed against Franck in his lifetime. Bréville studied with Franck from 1881 to 1887.
What is Franck's style?
Good summary of Franck’s style, especially his harmonic language and cyclic process. Strongly favors his instrumental music (especially the late chamber works) over the vocal compositions. Available online by subscription.
Who borrows from both the “New German School” and the “Absolute Music” camps of German composers
Presents Franck as one who borrows from both the “New German School” and the “Absolute Music” camps of German composers.
What instrument does Franck use in the opening movement?
Throughout this opening movement Franck uses the piano to intersperse quick-changing textures. This effect creates space between the intense and dramatic section. This comes to a head when a nearly cadenza-like piano section takes off near the end of the movement. As the other instruments join in for the main climax of the movement, the dynamic quickly drops, and the movement comes to a quiet, but stated, conclusion.
Who premiered César Franck's Piano Quintet?
Premiered in 1880 by the Marsick Quartet and Camille Saint-Saëns at the piano, the quintet was dedicated to Saint-Saëns. Although now regarded as one of Franck’s best musical achievements, scandal broke out at the premiere when Saint-Saëns finished performing and walked out straight away, leaving the music open and the piano lid. This was a sign that marked disdain towards the music. Franck kept the work dedicated to Saint-Saëns even after the premiere. Due to the cool reception of the quintet, Franck only heard the work performed a small number of times before his death. It was only then in the next century that audiences realised what a huge milestone the quintet was for the progression and development of French chamber music.
What is the opening movement of the Sonata?
The expansive opening movement rests on a typical classical sonata form with a slow introduction. Primarily led by the piano in the slow introduction, Franck’s Romantic style creates rich textures between the quartet and piano. Set in F minor, the sombre undertones of the music add to the drama, especially when Franck writes short piano interludes at a quiet dynamic, with the strings entering loudly and dramatically. The underlying rumblings of this movement build up to an intense central section that develops the principal theme.
How many movements does Franck's Quintet have?
Cast into three movements, Franck’s writing for the quintet is emotionally tumultuous, with Nadia Boulanger commenting that the work has the most dynamic changes in any chamber work composed.
What is the finale movement of the Quintet?
The exciting buzz of the finale movement is set off by the violin who plays a buzzing melody. The piano and cello accentuate on different beats as the violin whizzes off. The intensity returns in this movement, with a lot of the content of this section being highly strung and tense. Franck uses the most unison playing in this movement, with the ensemble often linking up to go through important phrases of the music. The final minute of the quintet is intense as the music begins to rush off. Franck moves through many keys until resting into the final key as the ensemble unites to play the final syncopated rhythm before coming to a rousing close.
What is the book about César Franck?
The seminal book about Franck is the first account of his life and work by his student, disciple and fellow composer Vincent d'Indy: César Franck (Tr: Rosa Newmarch, John Lane, 1910). While d'Indy presents many details and contemporaneous observations, his book is often dismissed as more hagiography than biography. Thus Leon Vallas calls d'Indy's book a "pretty legend," a work of devotion in which his pupils crafted a distorted history to justify their love and admiration of their master. Vallas's own fine biography, César Franck (Tr: Hubert Foss, Oxford University, 1951), paints a more balanced picture, acknowledging faults alongside the many splendors. Secondary sources with valuable insights include John Manduell's article on Franck in The Symphony (Penguin, 1966), James Lyon's notes to the Paray/Detroit mono LP (Mercury MG-50023, 1953), the entry by Harvey Grace in the 1954 edition of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Peter Jost's introduction to the Breitkopf & Härtel score, and the relevant portions of Harold Schoenberg's Lives of the Great Composers (Norton, 1970), Henry Carse's History of Orchestration (Keyen Paul, 1935), Milton Cross's Great Composers and Their Music (Doubleday, 1953), Roger Bager's Concert Companion (Whittlesey House, 1947) and Paul Henry Lang's Music in Western Civilization (Norton, 1941).
Who said Father Franck is the offspring of his pupils?
Charles Borders contended: "Father Franck is the offspring of his pupils." Vallas claims that it was Franck's students who got him elected to head the Société Nationale, where his visibility, and thus vulnerability, was magnified, and who urged him to compose large-scale works for the concert hall. Of those, among the most popular nowadays are the Quintet in f for Piano and Strings (1879), Le chasseur maudit (The Cursed Hunter, 1882), the Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra (1885), and the Sonata in A for Violin and Piano (1886).
How does a recording achieve a continuous flow of moderated emotion?
Most recordings tend to adhere to the former approach of presenting a solid and largely faithful rendition of the written score, often achieving a continuous flow of moderated emotion by attenuating expressive indications in favor of nuance and subtlety. Among them are the following:
Was the Quintet a success?
Only the Quintet was a success, and even then just in a single performance shortly before Franck's death in 1890. The sad history of Franck performances was set with his first major work, the tone poem Rédemption (1875), which the orchestra resisted, rehearsed insufficiently and played poorly, driving most of the audience out before the end. For his most ambitious work, the sprawling 1880 oratorio Les Béatitudes, he arranged a private performance and invited all the prominent musicians of Paris, but only two showed up. (A second performance was a triumph – three years after Franck died.)
What is the most overrated composer of recent times?
Lyons notes that while Franck sat unflustered and imperturbable in the sanctuary of his organ loft, he became the unwitting eye of a hurricane that raged about him, as detractors, perhaps jealous of his students' adulation, countered the deification with far harsher barbs than he might otherwise have attracted. Paul Henry Lang called Franck "at once the most overrated and most calumniated of composers of recent times." Significantly, both the criticism and occasional (mostly posthumous) praise centered upon Franck transliterating his organ technique to an orchestra. Thus, detractors often attribute his doubling of parts, bass pedal-points and overloaded instrumentation to the texture of organ voices, his incessant modulation and chromaticism to customary organ compositional technique, and his meandering structures and hesitant routine sequencing to the need of an improviser to await further inspiration or to pause while changing organ stops. Indeed, even his imperviousness to feedback and unwillingness to popularize his outlook have been traced to the physical (and emotional) isolation of his organ loft. At the same time, proponents cite his expressive use of polyphony and canon, as well as his satisfying structures (proceeding from darkness and doubt to light and certainty) to the essence of the outstanding solo improvisations for which he was famed. A hallmark of his mature art, and the primary innovation with which he is credited, is cyclical form, in which initial themes recur transformed throughout a work; Leon Vallas cites this, too, as a component of improvisation, in which repetition of thematic germs can recharge the texture.
What was the greatest organ improviser of his time?
From 1858 he presided over the splendid organ in the new basilica of Ste. Clotilde and ultimately became known as the greatest organ improviser of his time. In 1872 he was appointed Professor of Organ at the Conservatoire and in 1885 he was awarded the Legion of Honor for his teaching. Yet, his creative instincts overflowed the private world of his organ manuals and pedals – he often ran afoul of the rigid academic categories imposed by the Conservatoire administration by devoting his performance courses to lectures on his beloved Bach and providing his students guidance in composition.
Who was the first composer to bridge the gap between France and Germany?
Although they were geographic neighbors, an especially wide esthetic gulf divided the music of France and Germany. César Franck was one of the first composers to bridge that gap through his only symphony.