Les Oeuvres Pour Piano

The pieces in the present collection give a virtually complete idea of Franck's quality as a piano composer. We have selected from his early works only those which seemed to indicate most faithfully that somewhat neglected period in his life. We have included all the piano compositions of his later years. From the early works we have chosen the Grande Sonate op 10 unpublished written at the age of thirteen years, the Eglogue 1842, the Grand Caprice 1843, the Ballade 1844 and Trois petits riens 1846 unpublished preceding them with César Franck's three first efforts in composition. The mature style of the master is shown in his four most important piano works, the Prelude, Chorale and Fugue 1884, Les Djinns for piano and orchestra 1884, Variations symphoniques for piano and orchestra 1885, the Prelude, Aria and Finale 1886, and also in two short pieces, Plaintes d'une poupée 1865 and Danse lente 1885, written for special occasions. Though the latter are simple in style and technique, they show none the less the unmistakable stamp of Franckian melody.