César Franck

César Auguste Jean Guillaume Hubert Franck (French: [sezaʁ oɡyst ʒɑ̃ ɡijom ybɛʁ fʁɑ̃k]; 10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a French <a href="/facts/Romantic_music/Smlk40jm">Romantic</a> composer, <a href="/facts/Pianist/fFmwoxLv">pianist</a>, <a href="/facts/Organist/ogFDYTPC">organist</a>, and music teacher born in present-day Belgium.
He was born in <a href="/facts/Li%25C3%25A8ge/QjGaj3M9">Liège</a> (which at the time of his birth was part of the <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom_of_the_Netherlands/JGfEtJAy">United Kingdom of the Netherlands</a>). He gave his first concerts there in 1834 and studied privately in Paris from 1835, where his teachers included <a href="/facts/Anton_Reicha/vI5j09K0">Anton Reicha</a>. After a brief return to Belgium, and a disastrous reception of an early oratorio Ruth, he moved to Paris, where he married and embarked on a career as teacher and organist. He gained a reputation as a formidable musical improviser, and travelled widely within France to demonstrate new instruments built by <a href="/facts/Aristide_Cavaill%25C3%25A9-Coll/xcBm3g5W">Aristide Cavaillé-Coll</a>.

In 1859, he became titular organist at the church <a href="/facts/Basilica_of_St._Clotilde%2c_Paris/64Q8ynBB">Sainte-Clotilde</a>, a position he retained for the rest of his life. He became professor at the <a href="/facts/Conservatoire_de_Paris/P1l93d68">Paris Conservatoire</a> in 1872; he took French nationality, a requirement of the appointment. After acquiring the professorship, Franck wrote several pieces that have entered the standard classical repertoire, including <a href="/facts/Symphonic/mwmt5ndW">symphonic</a>, <a href="/facts/Chamber_music/t29NTzh5">chamber</a>, and <a href="/facts/Musical_keyboard/Mz0FGAe4">keyboard</a> works for <a href="/facts/Pipe_organ/F3CIPMwS">pipe organ</a> and <a href="/facts/Piano/lRI60lQK">piano</a>. As a teacher and composer he had a vast following of composers and other musicians. His pupils included <a href="/facts/Ernest_Chausson/HozEfgTV">Ernest Chausson</a>, <a href="/facts/Vincent_d%2527Indy/V2g0qpEm">Vincent d'Indy</a>, <a href="/facts/Henri_Duparc_(composer)/fysIhaAh">Henri Duparc</a>, <a href="/facts/Guillaume_Lekeu/D306h8Ux">Guillaume Lekeu</a>, <a href="/facts/Albert_Renaud_(organist)/Bq97eNnc">Albert Renaud</a>, <a href="/facts/Charles_Tournemire/SQC7Clth">Charles Tournemire</a> and <a href="/facts/Louis_Vierne/V0Lc876L">Louis Vierne</a>.

César Franck open-in-new

César Franck