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Donald Macleod explores how César Franck, who was known for being retiring and unassuming, became a leading figure of French musical life.

It seems as if Franck's diffident character positively hindered his advancement. He wasn't interested in moving in glamorous social circles, and lived, according to one visitor who called on him the year before he died, "like a monk". This natural reticence may be why the composer of popular works such as the Violin Sonata, the Piano Quintet, a ground-breaking String Quartet and the glorious Symphony in D found that all too often his critics were quick to find fault and were slow to recognise his worth. He had some disappointments to bear, in an age when opera was thriving, none of his four operas saw the light of day in his lifetime. Recognition for his two major choral works, La Rédemption and Les Béatitudes was to come after his death in 1890 at the age of 67.

Franck did enjoy some support. Early on, Liszt recognised his talent and did his best to help him get his work performed, and later on a band of his pupils, among them the composer Vincent d'Indy did their best to promote their beloved teacher's music.

To mark the 200th anniversary of Franck's birth, Donald Macleod spends the week delving a bit deeper into this enigmatic and complex character from his early compositions which pay homage to Liszt and the pianistic tradition of Hummel, to the wonderfully vivid pictorial canvas of Le Chasseur maudit.

Hulda
Danse des elfes
Freiburg Philharmonic Orchestra
Fabrice Bollon, conductor

Variations symphoniques (excerpt)
Christoph Lieske, piano
Savaria Symphony Orchestra
Peter Lucker, conductor

Violin Sonata, op 23
IV: Allegretto poco mosso (excerpt)
Lisa Batiashvili, violin
Giorgi Gigashvili, piano

Symphony in D
1st movement (excerpt)
Orchestra de Paris
Semyon Bychkov, conductor

Panis angelicus (Messe á trois voix, op 12 FVW 61)
Mariann Bódi, soprano
Andrea Kocsis, harp,
Zsolt Molnar, cello,
Ferenc Nagy, double bass
Dezso Karasszon, organ
Salamon Kamp, conductor

Variations brillantes sur Gustave III, op 8 (excerpt)
Florian Noack, piano
Orchestra Philharmonique Royal de Liège
Pierre Bleuse, conductor

Quatre mélodies de Franz Schubert , op 8, M.15: no 1
Die junge nonne
Julia Severus, piano

Trio Concertant no 2 in B flat op 1 no 2
IV: Final – Allegro
Bekova Sisters
Elvira Bekova, violin
Alfia Bekova, cello
Eleonora Bekova, piano

Ce qu’on entend sur la montagne
Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège
Christian Arming, conductor

Producer: Johannah Smith