Tim Mahon wonders why the Franck symphony has risen to such heights
of popularity, while symphonies by Vierne, Chausson, Dukas, and Magnard
seem the province of specialists and cranks.  Not having heard Vierne's
symphony, I can't speak to its appeal, but one thing that Franck's clunky
juggernaut has that the more refined others do not is a genius tune --
the one for the english horn in the slow movement.  As a matter of
construction, I much prefer the Dukas and the Chausson, and without that
slow movement I would laugh Franck's symphony out of consciousness.  But,
boy!  What a tune!

Steve Schwartz