Cesar Franck - Piano Music

César FRANCK (1822-1890)

Piano Music 

Prélude, Choral et Fugue M21

Prélude, Aria et Final M23

Troisième Choral M40

Danse lente M22

Grand caprice M13 Op 5

Stephen Hough (Piano)

This recording contains all of the mature piano music by César Franck, and includes Stephen Hough’s own stunning transcription of the Troisième Choral, originally composed for organ. Also featured is the Grand Caprice, one of numerous ‘salon’-type pieces Franck composed in his youth.

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It is a strange paradox that while organists comment how Franck wrote for the organ like a pianist, pianists point out how ‘organ-like’ his piano music is. Both of these opinions have a certain validity, however, because although he spent most of his mature years of creativity in the organ loft Franck began his musical life as a pianist, taking up his first organ position as a means to supplement a meagre living teaching the piano. It was only when he was appointed organist at Ste-Clotilde in 1858 that he began seriously to study the use of the pedals—he had a Pleyel practice pedal-board delivered to his home to help him to use this ‘third hand’ with greater ease.

Stephen Hough

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PREIS DER DEUTSCHEN 

SCHALLPLATTENKRITIK 

GRAMOPHONE EDITOR'S CHOICE

'Only the most exalted comparisons will do for Stephen Hough's latest disc, and even they are struggling to compete. Hough has a dream-ticket combination of virtues - astonishing agility, a faultless ear for texture, fine-tuned stylistic sensibility and an exceptional understanding of harmonic and structural tensions. [His] recent Hyperion issues have given him a lot to live up to. This recital triumphantly does that' (Gramophone)

'It is hard to imagine better performances' (BBC Music Magazine)

'A superb production!' (Fanfare, USA)

'Must take pride of place among recordings of this repertoire. A most distinguished record in every way' (The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs)

'Playing of exquisite poise, intrepid technical brilliance and extraordinary insight. A peach of an issue' (Hi Fi News)

‘Hough at his magical best’ (Classic FM Magazine)