Writes Richard Pennycuick:

>An article I was reading regarded Franck's symphony as one of the glories
>of the symphonic repertoire.  I've always found it pretty turgid.  I'm not
>out to start a Let's Hate Franck Week, but does anyone else share my
>opinion?

As it happens the Harvard Station, WHRB, just finished its Franck orgy,
and I must admit, after not listening to him for a bit, I had forgotten
how much great music he wrote.  I too always considered the symphony rather
turgid, but it was played in the Monteux performance which seems to be the
consensus greatest performance on this list, and it was magnificent- almost
justifying the enthusiasm of the announcer, who declared it to be the
French reply to Bruckner!!  Also inpressive were the late string quartet,
the oratorio(?) Psyche and Eros, and lots of piano music.

Bernard Chasan