Discussions on César Franck by Joris Verdin

Joris Verdin Discussions on César Franck
Het ORGEL 97 (2001), nr. 1, 5-9 [summary]

The discussions on the ‘correct’interpretation of Franck’s organ works are mainly a result of the difference betweena certain a priori concept of Franck and musicological investigation. Whereas thisconcept is patently based on unverifiable ‘testimonies’, the musicologicalinvestigation, led by Joël-Marie Fauquet, results in a coherent whole. A very importantaspect is the difference between church and concert music. Interpreting Franck’sorgan works as religious music requires accepting some assumptions that are contradictoryto the entire context of organ playing in France, as well as to the objective indicationsof Franck himself.