Trois Pièces (1878) by César Franck – a cognitive study, part 1

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Trois Pièces (1878) by César Franck – a cognitive study, part 1

Journal Title: Notes Muzyczny - Year 2016, Vol 2, Issue 6

Abstract

Flor Peeters, a Belgian organist and a renowned expert in performance problems in César Franck’s organ music, thought that “in order to play Franck well, one should be a composer or at least complete studies in composition”. Following Peeters’s remark, the author of this article decided to perform a thorough and versatile analysis of three organ pieces by César Franck (Trois Piéces): Fantaisie en la, Cantabile and Pièce héroïque, written in September 1878, the premiere performance of which by the composer himself took place on 1 October of that same year during the inauguration of the new organ by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, built at the Trocadéro Palace in Paris on the occasion of the World Exhibition. The compositions are discussed in the context of their origin, formal structure, utilised composition means and selected performance problems. In order to achieve that, the author used, among others, the collected and systematized source materials, conclusions from analyses and results of his own search. In the first part of the article, published in the current issue of the Magazine, he included such topics as the short introduction to organ pieces by Franck, the origin of Trois pièces in the context of the new organ built in Trocadéro and the experiences of the composer which he acquired while playing the organ at the Sainte-Clotilde church in Paris where he worked as an organist in the period of 1857–1890. This part of the article is closed with an outline of the structural analysis of the mentioned pieces. The second part of the article, which will be published in the next issue of “Notes Muzyczny”, will touch on some elements of Franck’s composition style singled out on the basis of the analysis of the Trois Pices cycle, and selected performance problems in these pieces. César Franck – a titular organist at the Sainte-Clotilde church – was known during his life more as an organist and an improviser than as a composer. He was Professor at the Music Conservatory in Paris and he taught many outstanding organists, he also created his own organ school referred to as “the Franck School” by his students. His organ output is primarily associated with twelve works included in three volumes: Six Pièces (1860–62), Trois Pièces (1878) and Trois Chorals (1890), which greatly contributed to the development of the socalled organ symphonics. The grand Cavaillé-Coll’s at the Trocadéro Palace, on which Franck performed his Trois Pièces for the first time, was an attraction of the World Exhibition. As they offered outstanding sound capacities and modern construction solutions, they initiated a new trend in organ music – from that time performing music outside of churches (in concert halls with organs installed) became possible. Trois Pièces, dedicated to this organ, having a secular title and presenting stylistic diversity (combination of tradition with innovation), were finished by the composer in only seven days, which seems impossible, and it was two weeks before their premiere performance. They were presented during an inaugural concert at the Trocadéro and gained applause both from the critics and the audience. The author hopes that his cognitive study of Trois Pièces will contribute to looking closer at these works and, first of all, that it will serve as a valuable source of information and inspiration for organists who study and perform Fantaisie en la, Cantabile and Pièce héroïque.<br/><br/>

Authors and Affiliations

Sebastian Bączkowski

Keywords

EP ID EP517849
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