César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck (1822 –
1890) was a composer, pianist, organist, and music
teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life. He
was born at Liège, in what is now Belgium (though at
the time of his birth it was part of the United Kingdom
of the Netherlands). He gave his first concerts there
in 1834 and studied privately in Paris from 1835, where
his teachers included Anton Reicha. After a brief
return to Belgium, and a disastrous reception to an
early oratorio Ruth...(+)
César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck (1822 –
1890) was a composer, pianist, organist, and music
teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life. He
was born at Liège, in what is now Belgium (though at
the time of his birth it was part of the United Kingdom
of the Netherlands). He gave his first concerts there
in 1834 and studied privately in Paris from 1835, where
his teachers included Anton Reicha. After a brief
return to Belgium, and a disastrous reception to 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
improviser, and travelled widely in France to
demonstrate new instruments built by Aristide
Cavaillé-Coll.
In 1858 he became organist at Sainte-Clotilde, a
position he retained for the rest of his life. He
became professor at the Paris Conservatoire in 1872; he
took French nationality, a requirement of the
appointment. His pupils included Vincent d'Indy, Ernest
Chausson, Louis Vierne, Charles Tournemire, Guillaume
Lekeu and Henri Duparc. After acquiring the
professorship Franck wrote several pieces that have
entered the standard classical repertoire, including
symphonic, chamber, and keyboard works.
This motet, written for Lent, sets individual verses
from Psalms 102 and 78, also found in a similar
compilation as a tract on Ash Wednesday. From the
original scoring indication of “TRIO pour Soprano,
Ténor et Basse avec accomp[agnemen]t d’Orgue”, we
can conclude that Franck also envisaged a solo
performance of this work. With its simple singability
in the vocal parts and the well-balanced formal layout,
the piece has many similarities with works by Mozart
and Schubert.
Although originally created for Accompanied chorus
(STB), I created this Arrangement of the "Domine non
secundum" (FWV 66) for Woodwind Quartet (Flute, Oboe,
Bb Clarinet & Bassoon) & Piano.
PARTITION