César Franck's father pushed him towards a career as a virtuoso pianist, leading Franck to compose pieces in the tradition of Franz Liszt, Frédéric Chopin, and Johann Nepomuk Hummel.
Composer Biography
César Franck, the composer, gave his first public performance as a pianist in his hometown of Liège in February 1835 at the age of 13.
Compositional Technique
César Franck's two solo piano pieces on this album utilize the 'cyclical principle,' where motifs or themes are transformed and recur throughout all movements, creating unity.
Composer Biography
César Franck largely devoted himself to the organ until the 1880s, working as a piano teacher and accompanist after giving up his virtuoso career.
Composition History
César Franck's return to piano composition in 1884 with Prélude, Choral et Fugue marked one of his most creative periods, also yielding his Violin Sonata in A major and Variations symphoniques.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Both of César Franck's late piano works on this album are written in the tradition of Johann Sebastian Bach, whom Franck referenced in his compositions.
Composition History
César Franck composed his three-movement Piano Sonata (op. 10) at age 13, a piece still very much in the spirit of the classical period.
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