Thursday, December 10, 2020

December 10 - César Franck; Olivier Messiaen (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

César Franck (10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a Belgian-born organist, composer, and teacher, active in Paris. 

[For last year's suite of verse on Olivier Messiaen click here.] 


 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Franckly Speaking

"My new organ," Franck said, "it's like an orchestra!" - Wikipedia

Cesar Franck, of course, was thrilled

To get the job at Sainte-Clotilde.

He settled at the Cavaillé-Coll,

He pulled some stops and took control.

“Mon Dieu!” he said, “It’s like a band

Or orchestra at my command.”


He played the Mass, a faithful servant,

Sufficiently reserved, yet fervent;

For thirty years he held the post ---

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

 

 

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪      



Olivier Messiaen (10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was an organist and one of the greatest French composers of the 20th century.

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a Messiaen!


Music of huge power and saccharine kitsch that you either love or loathe. — Andrew Clements, in The Guardian, on Turangalîla-Symphonie


Olivier Messiaen, Catholic and mystical,

   Wrote music so wildly chromatic

That learning the notes can be a logistical

  Test for the deepest fanatic.


There are sharps, there are flats in thickets so thorny,

   To learn them takes ages and ages,

So when there’s a passage straight-forward and corny,

   Take solace in such simple pages.

 

 

 

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