French Music For Piano And Orchestra

Description

French Music for Piano & OrchestraCesar Franck (1822 - 1890) Symphonic VariationsGabriel Faure (1845 - 1924) Ballade, Op. 19Vincent d'Indy (1851 - 1931)Symphony on a French Mountain AirSymphonie sur un chant montagnard fran?ºais, Op. 25(Symphonie cevenole)It was only after many years of relative obscurity that the Belgian-borncomposer Cesar Franck began to assume a public position of influence in themusical life of Paris. Born in Liege in 1822, he had been intended by his fatherfor a career as a virtuoso pianist and was launched into the world of publicperformance in 1835, with a repertoire that included comparatively superficialcompositions of his own. Moving to Paris in the same year, Franck made hisnecessary concert debut in the city, continuing piano lessons with Gounod'sfather-in-law Zimmermann and lessons in harmony and counterpoint with AntonReicha, before naturalisation as a French citizen allowed entry to theConservatoire. In 1842 he left the Conservatoire, now with the immediate aim offulfilling his father's ambitions for him. The years immediately following fellshort of the latter's expectations, while Franck himself began to win someattention as a composer. In 1846 he left his father's house, now resolved tomake his own way in music, as best he could, as a teacher and organist.In 1848, during the June days of the workers uprising, Franck married. In1853 he became organist at the church of St. Jean - St. Fran?ºois du Marais,with its Cavaille-Coll organ, embarking on an association with that firm, whichprovided a particularly fine instrument for the church of Ste. Clotilde, whereFranck was appointed organist in 1858. Here he began to acquire a reputation forhis improvisations and to attract pupils, who regarded him as their Paterseraphicus, a tribute to his character. In 1871 he was at last given anappointment at the Conservatoire as professor of organ, and now began to attractyoung composers to his classes, including, in 1872, Vincent d'Indy, who becameone of Franck's most loyal disciples. The following years brought a number ofimportant compositions, including the oratorio Les beatitudes, thesymphonic poems Le chasseur maudit and Les Djinns, psyche andfinally the symphony. Chamber music of the later period of his life included thepiano quintet, violin sonata and piano quartet.Franck's Symphonic Variations, among the most popular works of therepertoire for piano and orchestra, were written in 1885 and first performed ata societe Nationale concert the following year. The Variations arescored for pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons, four horns, trumpets,timpani, strings and solo piano. The work opens with a string figure of urgentintensity, answered gently by the piano, a pattern of two distinct elements thatcontinues. The introduction leads to a statement of the theme, already implied,and six variations, through which can be heard the opening string figure, whilethe material allotted to the piano in the introduction provides