Franck: Complete Organ Works / Hans-Eberhard Roß

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Label: Audite Musikproduktion
Release Date: September 25, 2012

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Featuring ⌄

COMPOSER

FRANCK, CESAR
PERFORMER

Hans-Eberhard Ross

Product Details ⌄

RELEASE DATE

September 25, 2012
UPC

4022143214133
CATALOG NUMBER

AUD21413
LABEL

Audite Musikproduktion
NUMBER OF DISCS

6
GENRE

Instrumental

Works ⌄

Piece in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Piece pour grand orgue in A Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Andantino in G Minor, Op. 25

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Fantaisie in C Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
I. Andante

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
II. Andantino

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
II. Andantino poco mosso

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
IV. Andante

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
V. Andantino quasi allegretto

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Offertoire in A Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Fantaisie in C Major (version 2)

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Quasi marcia, Op. 22 (arr. H.E. Ross for organ)

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 1. Fantaisie in C Major, Op. 16, M. 28

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 2. Grande piece symphonique in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 17, M. 29

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 3. Prelude, fugue et variation in B Minor, Op. 18, M. 30

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 4. Pastorale in E Major, Op. 19, M. 31

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 5. Priere in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 20, M. 32

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 6. Final in B-Flat Major, Op. 21, M. 33

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Offertoire in F Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Offertoire in C Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Elevation in A Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Magnificat in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Grand Choeur I in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Andantino in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Quasi Marcia in D Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Allegretto in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Grand Choeur II in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Amen in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Gloria Patri in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Quasi Lento in F Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Allegretto in C Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Andantino in C Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Allegretto in D Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Allegretto II in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Magnificat I in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Magnificat II in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Grand Choeur in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Moderato in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Andantino in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Allegretto in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Gloria Patri I in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Gloria Patri II in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Amen in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Gloria Patri II in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Prelude pour L'Ave Maris Stella in D Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Prelude pour L'Ave Maris Stella in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Prelude pour L'Ave Maris Stella II in D Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Benedicamus in C Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Lento in D Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Andantino in A-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Kyrie de la Messe de Noel in C Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Moderato I in C Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Moderato II in C Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Grand Choeur in C Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Grand Choeur in C Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Offertoire pour la Messe de Minuit in D Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Offertoire in G Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Sortie in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Offertoire II in F Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Allegro Moderato in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 2: Offertoire in B Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Offertoire sur un Noel Breton

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Fantaisie in C Major (version 3)

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Entree

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 1. Fantaisie in A Major, M. 35

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 2. Cantabile in B Major, M. 36

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 3. Piece Heroique in B Minor, M. 37

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Petit Offertoire

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Untitled Piece for Harmonium: I. Andante quasi lento

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 1. Poco allegretto in C Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 2. Andantino in C Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 3. Poco lento in C Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 4. Maestoso in C Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 5. Poco lento in C Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 6. Poco allegro in C Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 6. Amen: Moderato in C Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 7. Offertoire: Andantino in C Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 8. Andante in D-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 9. Andantino in D-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 10. Poco andantino in D-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 11. Poco allegro in C-Sharp Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 12. Lento in C-Sharp Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 13. Andantino poco mosso in C-Sharp Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 13. Amen: Moderato in D-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 14. Andante in D-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 15. Quasi allegro in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 16. Chant de la Creuse: Tres lent in D Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 17. Quasi andante in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 18. Vieux Noël: Andantino in D Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 19. Maestoso in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 20. Vieux Noël: Maestoso in D Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 21. Amen: Moderato in F Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 21. Sortie or Offertoire: Allegro in D Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 22. Andantino poco allegretto in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 23. Quasi lento in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 24. Molto moderato in E-Flat Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 25. Allegretto in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 26. Poco allegro in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 27. Andantino in E-Flat Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 27: Amen: Moderato in E-Flat Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 28. Offertoire: Andantino poco allegretto in E-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 29. Andante quasi allegretto in E Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 30. Moderato in E Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 31. Prière: Quasi lento in E Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 32. Non troppo lento in E Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 33. Allegretto in E Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 34. Poco allegretto in E Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 34. Amen: Moderato in E Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 35. Offertoire or Communion: Poco lento in E Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 36. Allegretto in F Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 37. Andantino in F Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 38. Lento in F Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 39. Allegretto in F Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 40. Allegretto in F Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 41. Poco lento in F Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 41. Amen: Moderato in F Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 42. Sortie: Molto moderato in F Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 43. Air béarnais: Andantino in F-Sharp Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 44. Chant béarnais: Poco allegretto in G-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 45. Andantino in F-Sharp Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 46. Poco lento in G-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 47. Poco allegro in F-Sharp Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 48. Poco allegretto in G-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 48. Amen: Moderato in F-Sharp Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 49. Offertoire funébre: Poco lento in F-Sharp Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 50. Poco allegretto in G Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 51. Vieux Noél: Poco lento in G Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 52. Noël angevin: Allegretto in G Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 53. Quasi lento in G Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 54. Noël angevin: Quasi allegro in G Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 55. Allegretto vivo in G Minor

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 55. Amen: Moderato in G Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 56. Sortie: Allegro in G Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 57. Poco maestoso in A-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 58. Allegretto amabile in A-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: No. 59. Andantino in A-Flat Major

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: Andantino

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: Lento

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: Andantino quasi allegretto

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
Volume 1: Poco maestoso

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 1 in E Major, M. 38

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 2 in B Minor, M. 39

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross
No. 3 in A Minor, M. 40

Composer: César Franck

Performer: Hans-Eberhard Ross

FRANCK COMPLETE ORGAN WORKS • Hans-Eberhard Roß (org) • AUDITE 21413 (6 CDs: 411:46)

When it comes to the organ, I think it’s safe to say that César Franck is the most important composer since Bach, and here we have a survey of Franck’s organ music so complete that it would take an entire page to list the entire contents of these six discs in standard Fanfare headnote format. In fact, there’s not another collection in existence this complete—not Jean Guillou’s, Marie-Claire Alain’s, Anthony Newman’s, or anyone else’s—since whole discs full of items here are flagged as being premiere recordings, premiere recordings for organ, premiere complete recordings, or premiere complete recordings for organ. So, I have decided to describe the set’s contents on a disc-by-disc basis. Let me forewarn the reader, though, that this is a release dedicated to the doggedly determined among lovers of organ music in general and Franck’s organ music in particular.

Organist Hans-Eberhard Roß performs all 142 pieces on a single instrument, the Goll organ at St. Martin’s Church in Memmingen, Germany. I haven’t been able to find any detailed information on the organ builder, but the enclosed booklet gives the following specifications for the organ: built in 1998, it has four manuals plus pedal, controlling 62 registers. The recordings were made between 2004 and 2005 and were originally released in three two-disc sets in SACD. The boxed-up, six-disc set that came to me for review was on standard, two-channel CDs.

One criticism I will lodge about the presentation is this: the track listings for every piece give the date it was composed, the date it was published, and which of nine editions Roß uses. This last bit of information about the editions may be of interest to the musicologist or scholar studying Franck’s organ works, but more interesting to the general listener, I think, would have been a concordance of stops and registrations used for each piece, something I’ve seen in the notes to other organ recordings, and something that ought, I think, to be material to an undertaking of this seriousness.

Disc 1 starts off with a first-time recording of Pièce en mi bémol ; i.e., Piece in E?. Of course, you’d have to listen to it to know if it was major or minor, but I’ll save you the effort. It’s more or less both, opening with a chord progression that eerily anticipates the ear-curling pronouncement at the beginning of Poulenc’s Organ Concerto. This is followed by another early work, Pièce pour Grand Orgue . It’s not asterisked as a premiere recording but is nonetheless absent from current listings except for this version. Several more early works fill the first disc, all dating from between 1854 and 1856. There are five pieces by Franck originally written for harmonium and transcribed for organ by Louis Vierne, and this is their first time on record. Also a first on record is a first version of a Fantaisie in C Major. Its second version, apparently not a first on record, is also included on the disc. Roß, himself, has transcribed the harmonium piece, Quasi Marcia , op. 22, and plays it here for the first time on organ.

If it’s mainly a CD of Franck’s big organ hits you want, you would be happy with just disc 2. They’re all there in one place: the Fantaisie in C Major, op. 16, the Grand Pièce Symphonique , op. 17, the Prélude, Fugue, et Variation , op. 18, the Pastorale , op. 19, Prière , op. 20, and Final, op. 21.

Disc 3 contains no fewer than 39 short pieces collected under the heading of Posthumous Pieces for Harmonium or Organ with Pedal for L’Office Ordinaire . This spills over onto disc 4, which contains another seven pieces that are part of the same collection. The fourth disc is then filled out by Three Pieces for Grand Organ , a Petit Offertoire , and an Untitled piece, that last two of which were both originally for harmonium. The entire contents of discs 3 and 4, with the exception of the Three Pieces for Grand Organ , are flagged with three asterisks (***), referencing the fact that they are heard here for the first time complete on organ.

Disc 5 and almost all of disc 6 are occupied by Franck’s answer to Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier , the sets of Pieces for Organ or Harmonium. The number seven must have held some mystical significance for Franck because there are nine sets of these pieces, each containing seven numbers, beginning with 7 Pieces in C Major and C Minor , progressing to 7 Pieces in D?-Major and C?-Minor , then to 7 Pieces in D Major and D Minor , which he subtitles, Pour le temps de Noël , and so on. The cycle stops after the 7 Pieces in A?-Major and G?-Minor , leaving the keys of A, B?, and B unexplored. There’s nothing mysterious or supernatural about the reason; Franck died before he was able to finish the project. The entirety of the Pieces for Organ or Harmonium is also thrice asterisked, meaning this is its first complete recording on organ. The final disc in the set concludes with the 3 Chorales for Grand Organ.

At first, I was a bit skeptical of how Franck’s organ music would sound on a modern, German-built instrument. It’s difficult to disassociate these works from the Cavaillé-Coll organs that inspired them. Much of this music, in fact, was composed during Franck’s tenure as organist and maître de chapelle at Sainte-Clotilde between 1858 and 1872. Of the three-manual plus pedal Cavaillé-Coll organ installed in the church, Franck is quoted as saying, “If you only knew how I love this instrument . . . it is so supple beneath my fingers and so obedient to all my thoughts.”

Concluding the 63-page booklet note by Martin Weyer (translated by Viola Scheffel) is a lengthy apologia in defense of playing these works on a Goll organ. The author twists himself in knots talking about the historical period-instrument movement and then tries to turn the argument on its head by explaining why this modern Goll instrument is an appropriate substitute for a Cavaillé-Coll organ and Franck’s music. “Upon hearing the instrument,” Weyer contends, “one will discover a lot of similarities to the sort of instrument that Franck found inspiring.” One could counter that many an organist has recorded Franck’s organ works on authentic Cavaillé-Coll instruments, and that if organist Hans-Eberhard Roß had betaken himself to France to make these recordings, he could have done likewise. But, as far as I’m concerned, the point is irrelevant. Roß is a consummately accomplished player who uses the richly variegated palette of the Goll organ to paint Franck’s pieces in an amazing array of tonal color combinations both bright and subtle, and the acoustic of Memmingen’s St. Martin church, perfectly captured by Audite’s engineers, is ideal. Franck and Cavaillé-Coll are nodding their heads in approval.

FANFARE: Jerry Dubins