Richard Franck
Encyclopedia
Richard Franck was a German pianist
, composer
and teacher. He was born in Cologne
and was the son of the German composer, pianist and teacher Eduard Franck
. His father, who had studied with Felix Mendelssohn
and knew the value of good instruction, sent Richard to the prestigious Leipzig Conservatory
where he studied with two of the leading teachers of the day, Carl Reinecke
and Salomon Jadassohn
. During the course of a long career, Franck held teaching positions at conservatories in both Germany (Kassel, Berlin, Heidelberg) and in Switzerland (Basle).
Although he did not reach the front rank amongst his contemporaries, he was nevertheless well-respected as a concert artist and as a composer. His conservative style was influenced by Reinecke and by his friend, the Swiss composer Hans Huber
(1852-1921). Franck was firmly in the tradition of Mendelssohn and Schumann though it’s clear that he was not immune from the influence of Wagner, Grieg and Reger also. The music is uniformly pleasing and the craftsmanship sounds to be tasteful and of a high order. Those critics, who were familiar with his compositions and his piano playing, regularly lavished praised upon them. For example, the prestigious Schweizerische Musikzeitung (Swiss Musical Journal), writing about his First Piano Trio, Op.20, enthused:
"Powerful and full-sounding energy is shown in many works, not least in [Richard Franck's] Op.20 Piano Trio
, which is a magnificent, significant composition, fresh in invention, firm and secure in its development, and mature in its expression."
The bulk of Franck's compositions are for solo piano, however, he also wrote orchestral and vocal compositions as well as a considerble amount of chamber music. Though he and his music have been long forgotten, as of late, his music has been rediscovered and is in the process of being revived. His piano trios, piano quartets and four sonatas have all been recently recorded on Audite, a selection of orchestra works on Sterling. Early in 2007, Edition Silvertrust
republished the parts to his Op.20 Piano Trio, the first in a series of chamber works to be released.
Within the next years, all available works of Richard Franck will be published in critcal Editions by Pfefferkorn Music Publishers, Leipzig.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and teacher. He was born in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
and was the son of the German composer, pianist and teacher Eduard Franck
Eduard Franck
Eduard Franck was born in Breslau, the capital of the Prussian province of Silesia. He was the fourth child of a wealthy and cultivated banker who exposed his children to the best and brightest that Germany had to offer. Frequenters to the Franck home included such luminaries as Heine, Humboldt,...
. His father, who had studied with Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
and knew the value of good instruction, sent Richard to the prestigious Leipzig Conservatory
Felix Mendelssohn College of Music and Theatre
The University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig is a public university in Leipzig . Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn as the Conservatory of Music, it is the oldest university school of music in Germany....
where he studied with two of the leading teachers of the day, Carl Reinecke
Carl Reinecke
Carl Heinrich Carsten Reinecke was a German composer, conductor, and pianist.-Biography:Reinecke was born in Altona, Hamburg, Germany; until 1864 the town was under Danish rule. He studied with his father, Johann Peter Rudolph Reinecke, a music teacher...
and Salomon Jadassohn
Salomon Jadassohn
Salomon Jadassohn was a German composer and a renowned teacher of piano and composition at the Leipzig Conservatory.-Life:...
. During the course of a long career, Franck held teaching positions at conservatories in both Germany (Kassel, Berlin, Heidelberg) and in Switzerland (Basle).
Although he did not reach the front rank amongst his contemporaries, he was nevertheless well-respected as a concert artist and as a composer. His conservative style was influenced by Reinecke and by his friend, the Swiss composer Hans Huber
Hans Huber (composer)
Hans Huber was a composer from Switzerland.He was born in Eppenberg-Wöschnau . The son of an amateur musician, Huber became a chorister and showed an early talent for the piano. In 1870 he entered Leipzig Conservatory...
(1852-1921). Franck was firmly in the tradition of Mendelssohn and Schumann though it’s clear that he was not immune from the influence of Wagner, Grieg and Reger also. The music is uniformly pleasing and the craftsmanship sounds to be tasteful and of a high order. Those critics, who were familiar with his compositions and his piano playing, regularly lavished praised upon them. For example, the prestigious Schweizerische Musikzeitung (Swiss Musical Journal), writing about his First Piano Trio, Op.20, enthused:
"Powerful and full-sounding energy is shown in many works, not least in [Richard Franck's] Op.20 Piano Trio
Piano trio
A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in classical chamber music...
, which is a magnificent, significant composition, fresh in invention, firm and secure in its development, and mature in its expression."
The bulk of Franck's compositions are for solo piano, however, he also wrote orchestral and vocal compositions as well as a considerble amount of chamber music. Though he and his music have been long forgotten, as of late, his music has been rediscovered and is in the process of being revived. His piano trios, piano quartets and four sonatas have all been recently recorded on Audite, a selection of orchestra works on Sterling. Early in 2007, Edition Silvertrust
Edition Silvertrust
Edition Silvertrust is a U.S. publisher of chamber music. Founded by R.H.R. Silvertrust, Editor of The Chamber Music Journal and President of The International Cobbett Association for Chamber Music Research....
republished the parts to his Op.20 Piano Trio, the first in a series of chamber works to be released.
Within the next years, all available works of Richard Franck will be published in critcal Editions by Pfefferkorn Music Publishers, Leipzig.
Chamber Music Works
- Sonata No.1 for Violin & Piano in D Major, Op.14 - (Critical Urtext-Edition 2010 by Pfefferkorn Musikverlag / Music Publishers, Leipzig. ISMN 979-0-50139-406-6)
- Piano Trio No.1 in B minor, Op.20
- Sonata for Cello & Piano in D Major, Op.22
- Piano Trio No.2 in E Flat Major, Op.32
- Piano Quartet No.1 in A Major, Op.33
- Sonata No.2 for Violin & Piano in C minor, Op.35 - (Critical Urtext-Edition 2010 by Pfefferkorn Musikverlag / Music Publishers, Leipzig. ISMN 979-0-50139-406-6)
- Sonata No.2 for Cello & Piano in E flat minor, Op.36
- Piano Quartet No.2 in E Major, Op.41
- Three Pieces for Flute (or Violin) & Piano, Op.52
- Spanish Serenade for String Quartet WoO (1926)