Charles Matthews wins Franck Contest by Gemma Coebergh

by Gemma Coebergh | Het ORGEL | Year 98 | (2002) | Issue 1
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Gemma Coebergh Charles Matthews wins Franck Contest
Het ORGEL 98 (2002), nr. 1, 32-34 [summary]

Every third year the International César Franck Contest is held in the CathedralBasilica St Bavo at Haarlem. This year (15, 17 and 20 October), five organists competed:Arno van Wijk (NL), Anton Doornhein (NL), Charles Matthews (UK), Thomas Fielding (USA) enLidia Ksiazkiewicz (Poland). The jury: Louis Robilliard (F), David Sanger (UK) and theorganist of the Basilica, Ton van Eck. Public attention was rather dissapointing.

In Round 1 and the Finale, the organists played exclusively works by Franck. In Round2, they had to play Franck’s Fantaisie en La and Choral Alléluiatique of CharlesTournemire. In the Finale, Franck’s first Choral and one of the other two wereobligatory; the organists had to choose for themselves.

The jury found that the level of the Finale was not as high as that of Rounds 1 and 2.Charles Matthews was given the first prize, Anton Doornhein the second prize, theTournemire-Prize and the prizeawarded by the public. Lidia Ksiazkiewicz received the thirdprize.