César Franck Edition (FLAC)

Composer: César Franck
Number of Discs: 23
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Brilliant Classics
Catalogue: 95793
Release: 2019
Size: 5.09 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 01
01. Le chasseur maudit, FWV 44

Symphony in D Minor, FWV 48
02. I. Lento. Allegro non troppo
03. II. Allegretto
04. III. Finale. Allegro non troppo

CD 02
01. Symphonic Variations, FWV 46
02. Les djinns in F-Sharp Minor, FWV 45

Piano Concerto No. 2 in B Minor, Op. 11
03. I. Allegro maestoso
04. II. Adagio
05. III. Rondo. Allegro

CD 03
01. Les éolides in A Major, FWV 43

Psyché, FWV 47
02. I. Le sommeil de psyche. Lento
03. II. Psyché enlevée par les zéphyrs. Allegro vivace
04. III. Les jardins d’éros. Poco animato
05. IV. Psyché et éros. Allegretto modéré

CD 04
String Quartet in D Major, FWV 9
01. I. Poco lento – Allegro
02. II. Scherzo. Vivace
03. III. Larghetto
04. IV. Finale. Allegro molto – Larghetto

CD 05
Piano Quintet in F Minor, FWV 7
01. I. Molto moderato quasi lento
02. II. Lento, con molto sentiment
03. III. Allegro non troppo, ma con fuoco

CD 06
Piano Trio No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor, FWV 1, Op. 1
01. I. Andante con moto
02. II. Allegro molto
03. III. Finale. Allegro maestoso

Piano Trio No. 2 in B-Flat Major, FWV 2, Op. 1
04. I. Allegro moderato
05. II. Andantino
06. III. Minuetto
07. IV. Finale. Allegro molto

Duo concertante in B-Flat Major, Op. 14
08. I. Maestoso – Allegretto grazioso –Molto più lento – Tempo del maestoso

09. Andantino quietoso in E-Flat Major, FWV 5, Op. 6

CD 07
Piano Trio No. 3 in B Minor, FWV 3, Op. 1
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Adagio. Quasi allegretto – tempo primo
03. III. Finale. Poco lento — Moderato ma molto energico – Il doppio più lento – Tempo primo

Piano Trio No. 4 in B Minor, FWV 4, Op. 2
04. I. Allegro

Violin Sonata in A Major, FWV 8
05. I. Allegretto ben moderato
06. II. Allegro
07. III. Recitativo–Fantasia
08. IV. Allegretto poco mosso

CD 08
01. Ballade in B Major, Op. 9

4 Schubert Songs Op. 8
02. I. Die junge Nonne
03. II. Die Forelle
04. III. Des Mädchens Klage
05. IV. Das Zügenglöcklein

Fantaisie sur 2 airs polonaises, Op. 15
06. I. Andantino
07. II. Allegretto
08. III. Allegretto non troppo ma giocoso

09. Souvenirs d’aix-la-chapelle, FWV 14, Op. 7

CD 09
Grande fantaisie No. 1, FWV 16, Op. 11
01. I. Andantino
02. II. Siciliana: Non troppo vivo e grazioso – Moderato: Poco più mosso – Allegro risoluto

Grande Fantaisie No. 2, FWV 17, Op. 12
03. I. Maestoso – Allegretto grazioso

Fantaisie No.2 in D Major
04. I. Andante
05. II. Tema. Polacca
06. III. Variazione. Meno vivo
07. IV. Andante
08. V. Finale. Allegro

Fantaisie sur 2 airs polonaises, FWV 18, Op. 15
09. I. Andantino
10. II. Allegretto
11. III. Allegro non troppo, ma giocoso

Grande fantaisie No. 3
12. I. Presto —
13. Adagio —
14. Presto
15. II. Tema. Andante —
16. Prima variazione —
17. Seconda variazione – Finale

CD 10
Prélude, fugue et variation in B Minor, FWV 30, Op. 18
01. I. Prélude —
02. Lento
03. II. Fugue
04. III. Variation

Prélude, aria et final in E Minor, FWV 23
05. I. Prélude
06. II. Aria
07. III. Final

Prélude, choral et fugue, FWV 21
08. I. Prélude
09. II. Choral —
10. Poco allegro
11. III. Fugue

CD 11
01. Fantasy in C Major, FWV 28, Op. 16
02. Grande pièce symphonique in F-Sharp Minor, FWV 29, Op. 17
03. Prélude, fugue et variation in B Minor, FWV 30, Op.18
04. Pastorale in E Major, FWV 31, Op. 19
05. Prière in C-Sharp Minor, FWV 32, Op. 20
06. Final in B-Flat Major, FWV 33, Op. 21

CD 12
01. Fantasy in A Major, FWV 35
02. Cantabile in B Major, FWV 36
03. Pièce héroïque in B Minor, FWV 37
04. Choral in E Major, FWV 38
05. Choral in B Minor, FWV 39
06. Choral in A Minor, FWV 40

CD 13
5 Pièces pour harmonium, FWV 26
01. I. Offertoire in B Major
02. II. Petit offertoire in E Major
03. III. Premier verset in F Minor
04. IV. Deuxième verset in F Minor
05. V. Communion in E Major

06. Prélude, fugue et variation, FWV 30, Op. 18
07. Offertoire in A Major
08. Petit offertoire in C Minor, CFF 38
09. Quasi marcia in F-Sharp Minor, FWV 34, Op. 22
10. Offertoire: I. Maestoso ma non lento
11. Offertoire sur un noël bréton in A Minor, CFF 34
12. Entrée in E Major, CFF 37
13. Pièce in E-Flat Major

L’Organiste, CFF 40
14. I. Poco allegretto
15. II. Andantino
16. III. Poco lento
17. IV. Maestoso
18. V. Poco lento
19. VI. Poco allegro
20. Amen. Moderato
21. VII. Offertoire. Andantino

L’Organiste, CFF 41
22. I. Andante
23. II. Andantino
24. III. Poco andantino
25. IV. Poco allegro
26. V. Lento
27. VI. Andantino poco mosso
28. Amen. Moderato
29. VII. Andante

L’Organiste, CFF 42
30. I. Quasi allegro
31. II. Chant de la creuse. Très lent
32. III. Quasi andante
33. IV. Vieux noël. Andantino
34. V. Maestoso
35. VI. Vieux noël. Maestoso
36. Amen. Moderato
37. VIII. Sortie ou offertoire. Allegro

CD 14
L’Organiste, CFF 43
01. I. Andantino poco allegretto
02. II. Quasi lento
03. III. Molto moderato
04. IV. Allegretto
05. V. Poco allegro
06. VI. Andantino
07. Amen. Moderato
08. VII. Offertoire. Andantino poco allegretto

L’Organiste, CFF 44
09. I. Andantino quasi allegretto
10. II. Moderato
11. III. Prière. Quasi lento
12. IV. Non troppo lento
13. V. Allegretto
14. VI. Poco allegretto
15. Amen. Moderato
16. VII. Offertoire ou communion. Poco lento

L’Organiste, CFF 45
17. I. Allegretto
18. II. Andantino
19. III. Lento
20. IV. Allegretto
21. V. Allegretto
22. VI. Poco lento
23. Amen. Moderato
24. VII. Sortie. Molto moderato

L’Organiste, CFF 46
25. I. Air béarnais. Andantino
26. II. Chant béarnais: Poco allegretto
27. III. Andantino
28. IV. Poco lento
29. V. Poco allegro
30. VI. Poco allegretto
31. Amen in F-Sharp Minor. Moderato
32. Amen in G-Fflat Major. Moderato
33. VII. Offertoire funèbre. Poco lento

L’Organiste, CFF 47
34. I. Poco allegretto
35. II. Vieux noël. Poco lento
36. III. Noël Angevin. Allegretto
37. IV. Quasi lento
38. V. Noël angevin. Quasi allegro
39. VI. Allegretto vivo
40. Amen. Moderato
41. VII. Sortie. Allegro

L’Organiste, CFF 48
42. I. Poco maestoso
43. II. Allegretto amabile
44. III. Andantino
45. IV. Andantino
46. V. Lento
47. VI. Andantino
48. VII. Sortie. Poco maestoso

CD 15
Stradella, CFF 229
01. Pt. 1: I. Overture
02. Pt. 1: II. Nous y voilà Monseigneur, par ici
03. Pt. 1: III. Venise est encore au bal
04. Pt. 1: IV. C’est donc vous Stradella
05. Pt. 1: V. À demain les delices suprêmes
06. Pt. 1: VI. Amis, la place est libre!
07. Pt. 2: I. Ah! Ah quel songe affreux
08. Pt. 2: II. Quand celui que j’adore
09. Pt. 2: III. Du bruit!
10. Pt. 2: IV. C’est nous qui vendons
11. Pt. 2: V. Ah voilà ce chanteur
12. Pt. 2: VI. O mon art! Art divin!
13. Pt. 2: VII. Quel coup du ciel!
14. Pt. 2: VIII. Encore quelques moments, c’est notre délivrance
15. SPt. 2: IX. Je reste aussi

CD 16
Stradella, CFF 229
01. Pt. 2: X. Je comprends, les témoins sont de trop
02. Pt. 3: I. Rome ou l’humble artiste
03. Pt. 3: II. À l’heure ou Dieu même
04. Pt. 3: III. J’y suis enfin
05. Pt. 3: IV. Dites-nous le nom de ce traitre
06. Pt. 3: V. Spadoni, que vois-je, o terreur!
07. Pt. 3: VI. Quoi! Perdrais-je sans retour
08. Pt. 3: VII. O Dieu tout puissant
09. Pt. 3: VIII. O dévouement divin, sacrifice sublime
10. Pt. 3: IX. Quand Dieu se lèvera pour rendre la justice
11. Pt. 3: X. Gloire à Dieu dans le ciel!
12. Pt. 3: XI. Allons, allons, enfants de Rome

CD 17
Les béatitudes, FWV 53
01. I. Prologue
02. II. Première beatitude
03. III. Deuxième beatitude
04. IV. Troisième beatitude
05. V. Quatrième beatitude

CD 18
Les béatitudes, FWV 53
01. VI. Cinquième beatitude
02. VII. Sixtième beatitude
03. VIII. Septième beatitude
04. IX. Huitième beatitude

CD 19
Rédemption, FWV 52
01. Pt. 1: I. Introduction
02. Pt. 1: II. Choeur terrestre
03. Pt. 1: III. Récit et choeur des anges
04. Pt. 1: IV. Choeur, récit et air de l’archange. V. Choeur general
05. Pt. 2: VI. Morceau symphonique
06. Pt. 2: VII. Choeur d’hommes
07. Pt. 2: VIII. Choeur des anges
08. Pt. 2: IX. Air de l’archange
09. Pt. 2: X. Choeur general

CD 20
Messe à 3 voix in A Major, FWV 61
01. I. Kyrie
02. II. Gloria
03. III. Credo
04. IV. Sanctus Benedictus
05. V. Panis angelicus
06. VI. Agnus dei

From 3 Offertoires
07. I. Quae est ista 8. From 3 Offertoires: II. Dextera domini

CD 21
Les sept paroles du Christ sur la croix, CFF 180
01. I. Prologue. O vos omnes
02. II. 1st Word. Pater, dimitte illis
03. III. 2nd Word. Hodie mecum eris in paradiso
04. IV. 3rd Word. Mulier, ecce filius tuus
05. V. 4th Word. Deus meus, ut quid dereliquisti me?
06. VI. 5th Word. Sitio
07. VII. 6th Word. Consummatum est
08. VIII. 7th Word. Pater, in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum

Fantasy in A Major, FWV 35 10. Cantabile in B Major, FWV 36
09. 11. Pièce héroïque in B Minor, FWV 37

CD 22
01. Nocturne in F-Sharp Minor, FWV 85
02. Ninon in A Major, FWV 71
03. Le vase brisé in C Minor, FWV 84
04. Lied in F-Sharp Minor, FWV 83
05. Le mariage des roses in B Major, FWV 80
06. Souvenance in F-Sharp Minor, FWV 70
07. Robin Gray in A-Flat Major, FWV 74
08. Passez, passez toujours in G Minor, FWV 82
09. Roses et papillons in D-Flat Major, FWV 81
10. L’ange et l’enfant, FWV 75
11. Les cloches du soir, FWV 87
12. L’émir de Bengador in F Minor, FWV 72
13. S’il est un charmant gazon in E-Flat Major, FWV 78
14. À cette terre où l’on ploie sa tente
15. Aimer in A-Flat Major, FWV 76
16. La procession in E Major, FWV 88

CD 23
Violin Sonata in A Major, FWV 8
01. I. Allegretto ben moderato
02. II. Allegro
03. III. Recitativo–Fantasia. Ben moderato
04. IV. Allegretto poco mosso

Transcription for Cello and Piano:
05. I. Allegretto ben moderato
06. II. Allegro
07. III. Recitativo–Fantasia. Ben moderato
08. IV. Allegretto poco mosso

This remarkable set reveals the full breadth and genius of a creative career known to most merely by the tip of the iceberg: a small number of seminal works written in the composer’s final decade of life. Ceìsar Franck (1822–1890), although considered one of the foremost 19th-century French composers, was not in fact French by birth, but Belgian. He only became a full French citizen in 1873 after he had been appointed organ professor at the Paris Conservatoire. His career can be divided into three distinct periods, each characterised by the production of very different types of music.

From 1834 to 1846, under pressure from his father, he concertised as a piano virtuoso, and most of the works of this period were written with that purpose in mind. In the decade following his marriage in 1848 he composed virtually nothing but became celebrated as an organist, and he would bring the spacious dimensions of that instrument to his sound world in the years to come. His ‘middle period’ – from about 1858 to 1879 – was devoted to the production of works for organ, church music and a series of monumental choral pieces on religious or biblical subjects. In these three decades he wrote virtually nothing for the piano. From 1879 begins the decade of his late flowering in the great chamber and orchestral works, ushered in by his well-loved Piano Quintet and containing the pieces for which Franck is widely known. Spanning all three periods were opera and his small output of 18 mélodies.

César Franck (1822-1890), is widely considered one of the foremost 19th century French composers. He was not in fact French by birth, being born to parents of German stock in Liege, Belgium. He only became a full French citizen in 1873. A child prodigy he studied piano and organ in both Belgium and France. His career as a traveling piano virtuoso was not successful and it was as an organist that he finally established himself and settled in France as a teacher and organist, the Paris church St Clothilde, with its magnificent Cavaille Coll organ, being his home.

Like Bruckner and Messiaen, he was a devout Christian who invested his music with an intense spirituality that was matched in his personal life by an almost saintly innocence. His musical style is characterized by intense and rich chromaticism, long, curving melodic lines and highly personal counterpoint.

This edition offers an extensive range of his works: the famous Violin Sonata, the Symphony, and the organ works, but also lesser known works like the piano trios, piano quintet and string quartet, the great piano works, the complete songs, the opera Stradella, the mighty oratorio Les Béatitudes, symphonic poems, the rarely heard and recorded Rédemption and the Mass.

Performers include conductors Jean Fournet, Roberto Benzi and Helmuth Rilling, pianists Mūza Rubackytė and Klára Würtz, violinist Kristóf Baráti and organist Adriano Falcioni.

Recordings date from 1976 to 2016