LDV176.8

22 CÉSAR FRANCK_The complete organ works Dedicated ‘Tohis friend,M. Camille Saint-Saëns’, Prélude, Fugue etVariations is justifiable the best-known of the Six Pièces of 1862. It is another one of those symmetrical triptychs consisting of twomovements framing a central episode, like the Fantaisie op.16, the Grande Pièce symphonique op.17, the Pastorale op.19 and the third Choral , or the Prélude, Choral et Fugue and Prélude , Aria et Final for piano, as well as the Piano Quintet and the Symphony... The Pièce héroïque is the last of the three Pièces of 1878. It is a brilliant piece, setting off the brio of both the performer and the composer while, at the same time, demonstrating the superb potential offered by Cavaillé-Coll’s new instrument. The principle of bi-thematicism comes magnificently into its own: the confrontation of the masculine and the feminine themes and the rhythmic and melodic character here take on the aspect of a struggle between two elements, of the spirit against matter, of Jacob against the Angel. Rather than a chorale prelude, the Choral no.1 in Emajor is a vast, admirably handled rhapsody which finally tends to glorify the chorale theme which has been a long time in preparation, subjacent to other motifs since the beginning of thework. In this respect the composer could have said, ‘Youwill see, the real chorale is not the chorale; it comes through as the piece goes along’.