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César Auguste Franck

César Auguste Franck

Born: 10th December 1822, Liege, Belgium

Died: 8th November 1890, Paris, France

Nationality: Belgian, French

César Auguste Jean Guillaume Hubert Franck was a French Romantic composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher born in present-day Belgium.

He was born in Liège (which at the time of his birth was part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands). He gave his first concerts there in 1834 and studied privately in Paris from 1835, where his teachers included Anton Reicha. After a brief return to Belgium, and a disastrous reception of an early oratorio Ruth, he moved to Paris, where he married and embarked on a career as teacher and organist. He gained a reputation as a formidable musical improviser, and travelled widely within France to demonstrate new instruments built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll.

Further Reading: Franck, C

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    In the latest episode of Presto Presents, viola-player Timothy Ridout and pianist Jonathan Ware perform and discuss music from their new album Alto Appassionato, released on Harmonia Mundi last month.

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