Cesar Franck

1822-1890

Born in modern day Belgium, Franck showed tremendous promise as a pianist and composer as a young student. He and his brother were sent to study at the Paris Conservatoire when he was 15, and studied there for 7 years.  He returned home as a performer, organist and teacher for 2 years, but returned to Paris two years later to participate in its more vibrant musical life.  It was in this period that he found his more mature compositional style, but his work didn't receive widespread critical acclaim until he wrote the Violin-Piano sonata in 1886.  He composed his D minor symphony shortly thereafter, the other significant composition for which he's best known.

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The Violin-Piano Sonata is is considered one of the finest sonatas for violin and piano ever written. It is an amalgam of Franck's rich native harmonic language with the Classical traditions he valued highly, held together in a cyclic framework.  Importantly, it is a true duet - the piano serves as an equal partner to the violin, frequently sharing the same lyric passages, rather than as an accompaniment for a virtuosic violin solo.  It explores a wide range of human emotion from impressionistic contemplation to agitated emotional expression to deeply emotive lyrical harmonic and melodic themes and motifs.