Hello

Franck is my most favorite composer, too... When I found his
compositions for piano, I felt "This work is what I am looking for!".

Kar-Ming Chong <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Just finished listening to the disc that I bought two days ago, "Cesar
>Franck's Piano Music", played by Stephen Hough on the Hyperion label.
>This is a magnificient performance by Hough plus a good sound recording.

I agree.  In particular, his own transcription for "Choral No.3" is really
well-transcribed/performed.  Once, I heard a rumor that he is going to
publish this transcription.

>I'm thinking of getting myself acquainted with Franck's Organ music.  And
>I saw a 2CD set of Franck's organ music recently, by Alain Marie Claire
>on the Erato label.  Has anyone heard of this set or any other set?

I think that's a very good choice, although I did not really collect
Franck's organ recordings.

Maybe you are already familiar with other Franck's works, but just in case
allow me to write down my favorites (except too famous violin sonata,
symphony, and string quartet):

* Piano Quintet (Richter's on Philips or Samson Francois' on EMI)
* Symphonic Variations for piano and orchestra (Sir Clifford Curzon's on
  Decca, Larrocha's on Decca(this does not seem to be available any more),
  and I am waiting for Argerich's recording on EMI)
* Les Djinns for piano and orchestra (Richter's, Ashkenazy's)
* Prelude, choral et fugue (Richter's, Francois', Perahia's,
  Marie-Catherine Girod's)
* Choral No.3 for Organ transcribed for piano (Vladimir Viardo's on pro
  piano, Paul Crosseley's on Sony (actually I prefer Crossely's transcription
  to Hough's)

Also let me add the fact that there is an orchestra version of "prelude,
choral et fugue", piano concerto No.2 (which is Franck's early work and
rather musically boring) and Jorg Demus wrote/performed his hommage for
Franck, "Franckiana suite" on piano.

Hitoshi Asaoka ([log in to unmask])