César Franck and His Approach to Writing and Playing the Organ with Historical and Contemporary Considerations of Performance Practice

The intention of a composer is not always apparent. Whereas later composers such as Louis Vierne and especially Charles Tournemire wrote very detailed instructions for performers, their teacher, César Franck, left many questions about interpretations unanswered. Consequently, when performers play from scores that have inconsistencies or ambiguities in them, a significant amount of discretion in performance is considered typical, even if that could mean that two contrasting approaches could be considered equally legitimate. 

After an overview of the life of César Franck and his relationship to the organ, both as a performer and composer, this lecture will discuss specific issues that the modern performer faces when considering appropriate performance practice of these works, concluding with an analysis of Franck’s Choral No. 3 in A Minor, focusing on how performers have approached these textual concerns in order that future performers can evaluate the scores with evidence drawn from comparative analysis.