Franck Fort

[Brahmsian]

Would anyone care to recommend me recordings of César Franck's Symphony in D minor? I have one that I like a lot, Maazel with the RSO Berlin. But I would love to hear another, now that I'm getting to really appreciate the work.

Definitely the Monteux with Chicago Symphony.

I also have Karajan Berlin which I quite like a lot as well. Better than one might expect.

This is one of my favourite symphonies of any composer. Hearing it performed live in concert was a revelation.

[Maestro267]

What happened to Franck's Piano Concerto No. 1? I've only ever seen recordings of No. 2, and even on the upcoming "complete orchestral works" set mentioned in the new releases thread there's only reference to No. 2.

[Florestan]

What happened to Franck's Piano Concerto No. 1? I've only ever seen recordings of No. 2, and even on the upcoming "complete orchestral works" set mentioned in the new releases thread there's only reference to No. 2.

It's a very early work (1834), one of a bunch he collectively disowned later. It guess it's lost.

[Brian]

Any favorite recordings/box sets of the organ works? I do not know much about organ music, it is a personal blind spot (especially because my preference for organ music runs towards "loud and rib-cage-rattling"). Looking at several complete Franck organ boxes that are on sale for the anniversary year but wanted any expert advice that is available in addition to sound samples.

[Papy Oli]

Any favorite recordings/box sets of the organ works? I do not know much about organ music, it is a personal blind spot (especially because my preference for organ music runs towards "loud and rib-cage-rattling"). Looking at several complete Franck organ boxes that are on sale for the anniversary year but wanted any expert advice that is available in addition to sound samples.

Bump.

Brian, did you ever settle on any particular Franck organ sets since this post (despite the absence of recommendations at the time). Isoir has helped me breaking into Bach's organ music and having sampled some of his other records on Idagio, I have found his Franck to be engrossing (Idagio only has one of his two Franck albums).

I'd welcome other recommendations of other sets too.     

[Brian]

I did not receive any recommendations but purchased the Joris Verdin set on Ricercar, using big Cavaille-Coll organs from Franck's time. Have not listened to any of it, yet, however. As sometimes happens with CDCDCD sufferers 

One thing to note about Verdin, if collecting the physical edition, is that the CD sleeves are covered entirely in artwork - no indication of what music is on what disc. So you need to listen with booklet in hand at all times. That has caused my delay getting to it.

[Papy Oli]

I did not receive any recommendations but purchased the Joris Verdin set on Ricercar, using big Cavaille-Coll organs from Franck's time. Have not listened to any of it, yet, however. As sometimes happens with CDCDCD sufferers 

One thing to note about Verdin, if collecting the physical edition, is that the CD sleeves are covered entirely in artwork - no indication of what music is on what disc. So you need to listen with booklet in hand at all times. That has caused my delay getting to it.

Noted, thank you Brian. I have found Verdin's set on Idagio. I'll save it for a listen.

[classicalgeek]

Cross-posted on the WAYLTL thread. Did a comparison of four versions of the Franck D minor symphony (from my CD collection):

Orchestre National de France
Leonard Bernstein


Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Monteux


Boston Symphony Orchestra
Charles Munch


Philadelphia Orchestra
Riccardo Muti
 

I have since discovered I had a fifth: Ozawa/Boston SO (thanks Karl!) which I'm going to have to dig out and listen to. Here are my initial thoughts of the four I did listen to:

I can see why Monteux/Chicago is one of the reference recordings - taut and exciting, and heart-on-sleeve passionate when it needed to be. I also enjoyed Muti/Philadelphia quite a bit - really outstanding playing. Less so Bernstein/ONF - it was just too slow and had some real dead spots. Munch/Boston was OK, but not well recorded at all.

Others mentioned Bernstein's first recording with the New York Phil, the above Ozawa/BSO recording, and a recent recording with Alain Altinoglu and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony. I'm curious about the one with Christian Arming and the Liege orchestra that's part of the Franck complete orchestral works on Fuga Libera that was released to mark the bicentennial of his birth. I also used to have Jesus Lopez-Cobos on Telarc with the Cincinnati Symphony, a performance I remember enjoying.

What are some of your favorite performances of the Franck D minor, whether it's one mentioned here or another recording entirely?