Grande pièce symphonique

Historical context

The Grande Pièce Symphonique, Op. 17, marks a significant moment in its composer’s output. As a book notes, this piece is one of six great organ works that signal the beginning of Franck’s second musical period and the initial expressions of his true innovating genius. It is considered the first of all modern organ symphonies.

This work, in F sharp minor, is structured as a symphony in three movements. Its first movement, as a book describes, is in sonata-form with an introduction, while the Andante is in Lied-form featuring a Scherzo-like second section. The Finale then recapitulates chief ideas, developing the principal theme of the first movement in F sharp major through fugal devices. A book also explains the composer’s philosophy behind such a work, believing that composing symphonies using the varied timbres of a Cavaille-Coll organ is preferable to combining organ with orchestra, as the latter often overshadows one force for the other.

Drawn from Indy, Vincent d’, 1851-1931, Cesar Franck; a translation from the French of Vincent d’Indy (1922) — public domain, archive.org.