César Franck

Piece Heroique

César Franck (1822-1890) was born in Liege, Belgium, and his great musical talent was discovered when he was still a small boy. When he was 12 years old, his family moved to Paris. In the French capital he was active as a teacher, an organist and a conductor. In 1858 he was appointed organist at the Sainte Clotilde Church in Paris; that church boasted brand new Cavaillé-Coll organ. For this instrument Franck wrote ' Six pièces pour grand orgue ' (Six pieces for grand organ) in 1862 and in 1878 ' Trois pièces pour grand orgue ' (Three pieces for grand organ), one of those pieces being ' Pièce Héroïque '. This energetic and lively composition starts with the typical rhythm of a traditional French overture. The central choral is in a major key, but then major and minor keys alternate and the work ends with a powerful fortissimo.