Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 05/23/2006, uploaded on 01/12/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Prelude, Fugue and Variation for organ, Op. 18         César Franck

(transcribed by Harold Bauer, revised by Sodi Braide)

César Franck was one of the most influential figures in the history of French music; his works have had an enormous impact on an entire generation of French composers.  Franck was a deeply religious person, and his works often reflect his religious beliefs. The organ was probably his favorite instrument and Franck wrote a large number of pieces for it. Prelude, Fugue and Variation is one of the Six pieces for Organ written between 1860 and 1862, and is probably the best-loved of the set, with a simple and sincere beauty in its opening theme.  Harold Bauer was an immensely popular pianist in the first half of the 20

century. His transcription of Prelude, Fugue and Variation, however, contains some personal additions making it more "pianistic."  I have removed those additions, trying to remain as faithful to Franck's original as possible.    Sodi Braide

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.