César Franck - Prélude, Fugue et Variation, Op. 18 (1860-1862)

Cavaillé-Coll was one of the most distinguished and respected French organ builders of the nineteenth century. By bringing a whole host of technical innovations into organ building, he had developed a new aesthetic, and ultimately built nearly 500 pipe organs. The three-manual symphonic Great Organ of Basilique Ste-Clotilde in Paris, inaugurated by Church Organist Franck in 1859, is one of Cavaillé-Coll’s masterpieces. As the inaugurator, Franck showed huge interest in exploring the innovations of the instrument and was eventually inspired to compose his Six Pièces pour Grand Orgue.

Published in 1868 as no. 3 of the Six Pièces pour Grand Orgue, Prélude, Fugue et Variation Op. 18 exploits the power and colours of this new Cavaillé-Coll organ to the fullest, contributing to the establishment of the distinctive French School of symphonic organ music. It enjoyed a great deal of popularity; hence, Franck later transcribed it for two pianos, and for harmonium and piano. He even performed the version on harmonium with pianist Vincent d’Indy in 1874. In 1910, pianist Harold Bauer transcribed it for solo piano.

The high originality of these six compositions does not prevent Franck from writing in old styles. Op. 18 is dedicated to Saint-Saëns. The dedication does not imply any portrait, but the balance and clarity of Op. 18 indeed suggest Saint-Saëns’s Classical orientation. In addition, the substantial fugue of this piece is clearly influenced by Franck’s thorough study of Bach’s music. It is absolutely amazing to see how Op. 18 displays the aesthetic of the Romantic organ, while adapting the classical forms to suit the instrument, the canonic, as well as the fugal language of the music.

The haunting oboe melody of the pastoral Prélude is a typical Franckian theme - mostly stepwise and with an emphasis on specific notes of the scale. A brief bridge passage introduces the next movement, a solemn fugue. The vocal character and clear textures make the Fugue relatively easy for listeners. After the stretti, the music moves on to the Variation without a break. The oboe cantilena from the Prélude now returns, but this time, it is accompanied by rippling semiquavers. The work quietly ends in B major.