Franck: Symphonic Organ Works (Organ of St Paul's Cathedral)

Featuring

Simon Johnson
César Franck

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Performer Biography

Simon Johnson, the organist on this recording, is the Organist & Assistant Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral and has performed for major national events, including the funeral of Baroness Thatcher.

Critical Reception

Franck's Symphony in D minor was initially met with hostility from critics, with one reviewer calling it "arid and drab music, without any touch of grace or charm."

Historical Context

Franck's Symphony in D minor struggled initially due to the political climate, as many in France considered the symphony a Germanic domain, and his music was seen as anti-French.

Compositional Technique

The formal plan of Franck's Symphony in D minor, including its cyclic nature and compressed movements, has a clear precedent in his earlier Grande Pièce symphonique for organ.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Despite the religious connotations often given to his works, César Franck, a devout Christian, stated that his Symphony embodied no particular idea, replying: "No, it is just music."

Instruments

The Grand Organ of St Paul's Cathedral, featured on this recording, was originally built in 1697 by Bernard Schmidt, with a case designed by Sir Christopher Wren, and some of its original pipework still survives.