Composer: César Auguste Franck
Performer: Doris Bertschinger
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Neos
Catalogue: NEOS32001
Release: 2021
Size: 548 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
L’Organiste, FWV 41, Book 1
01. No. 1, Poco allegretto
02. No. 2, Andantino
03. No. 3, Poco lento
04. No. 4, Maestoso
05. No. 5, Poco lento
06. No. 6, Poco allegro – Amen
07. No. 7, Offertoire. Andantino
L’Organiste, FWV 41, Book 2
08. No. 1, Andante
09. No. 2, Andantino
10. No. 3, Poco andantino
11. No. 4, Poco allegro
12. No. 5, Lento
13. No. 6, Andantino poco mosso – Amen
14. No. 7, Andante
L’Organiste, FWV 41, Book 3
15. No. 1, Quasi allegro
16. No. 2 Chant de la creuse. Très lent
17. No. 3, Quasi andante
18. No. 4, Vieux Noël. Andantino
19. No. 5, Maestoso
20. No. 6, Vieux Noël. Maestoso
21. No. 7, Sortie ou offertoire, Allegro – Amen
L’Organiste, FWV 41, Book 4
22. No. 1, Andantino poco allegretto
23. No. 2, Quasi lento
24. No. 3, Molto moderato
25. No. 4, Allegretto
26. No. 5, Poco allegro
27. No. 6, Andantino – Amen
28. No. 7, Offertoir. Andantino poco allegretto
L’Organiste, FWV 41, Book 5
29. No. 1, Andantino quasi allegretto
30. No. 2, Moderato
31. No. 3, Prière. Quasi lento
32. No. 4, Non troppo lento
33. No. 5, Allegretto
34. No. 6, Poco allegretto – Amen
35. No. 7, Offertoire ou communion. Poco lento
As early as 185866, Franck had composed first an “Offertoire” and “5 Pieces” for harmonium, then 44 further “Petits pieces” for organ or harmonium. More than two decades followed, before Franck, in the last two years of his life, began a project for harmonium that remained unfinished only because of his death: a cycle of harmonium pieces comprising 12 suites of seven pieces on all 12 pitches. The posthumous publication of the unfinished cycle of 59 pieces, to be performed on either organ or harmonium, is entitled “L’Organiste, Pieces pour Orgue-Harmonium par Cesar Franck”.
“In my interpretation, it is important for me to respect and point out the common features and similarities of the harmonium and accordion but also the differences between the two instruments. Already whilst studying for my degree, I was inspired by the “Pieces pour harmonium”, as Franck himself called them, and their interpretation on the accordion. With this recording, I would like to make Cesar Franck’s work as well as the classical accordion and its possibilities known to a wide audience.” (Doris Bertschinger)