César Franck

César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck (December 10, 1822 – November 8, 1890) was a composer and organist.

Related Topics:
December 10 - 1822 - November 8 - 1890 - Composer - Organist

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Franck was born in Liège. His father had ambitions for him to become a concert pianist, and he studied at the conservatoire in Liège before going to the Paris Conservatoire in 1837. Upon leaving in 1842 he briefly returned to Belgium, but went back to Paris in 1844 and remained there for the rest of his life.

Related Topics:
Liège - Pianist - Paris Conservatoire

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Franck was a virtuoso pianist, and made concert tours in his early years, but made his living at the organ, becoming organist of Sainte-Clotilde in 1858, where he remained until his death. His rise to prominence in French musical culture can be partially attributed to the prestige the position at Ste. Clotilde supplied. From 1872 to his death he was professor of Organ at the Paris Conservatoire. His pupils included Vincent d'Indy, Ernest Chausson and Henri Duparc. As an organist he was particularly noted for his skill in improvisation, and it is on the basis of only twelve major organ works that Franck is by many considered the greatest organ composer after J. S. Bach.

Related Topics:
Organist - Sainte-Clotilde - Vincent d'Indy - Ernest Chausson - Henri Duparc - Improvisation - J. S. Bach

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Many of Franck's works employ "cyclic form" (the use of one theme in more than one movement of a work). His music is often contrapuntally complex, using a harmonic language that is firmly Romantic, showing a great deal of influence from Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner.

Related Topics:
Cyclic form - Contrapuntally - Harmonic - Romantic - Franz Liszt - Richard Wagner

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Franck's fame rests largely on a small number of compositions written in his later years, particularly his symphony (1886-88), the Symphonic Variations for piano and orchestra (1885), the Prelude, Choral and Fugue for piano solo (1884) and a sonata for violin and piano (1886). One of his best shorter works is the motet Panis Angelicus.

Related Topics:
Symphony - Sonata - Panis Angelicus

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Franck died in 1890 from complications arising from a traffic accident. His final compositions were three monumental 'Chorales' for Organ. He was interred in the Cimetière du Montparnasse in Paris.

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