Göteborgs Konserthus Romantic Rarities

César Franck (1822-1890) Grande Pièce Symphonique With César Franck, born in Liège but from 1835 with Paris as his home town, an almost unbroken French tradition of composing organists began that continues to this day. The background was the symphonically inspired type of organ that was created by the genius organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll and that came to dominate French organ building during the middle and later part of the 19th century. Franck was the organist of the newly built church of St. Clotilde where Cavaillé-Coll built an organ in 1859 which for Franck became a source of inspiration for twelve important organ works, works which are now cornerstones in the repertoire of all organists. Grande Pièce Symphonique is included as the second piece from the collection Six Pièces, published in 1868. It consists of a single large movement, but with a clear division into different sections. After a slow introduction, a powerful Allegro ma non troppo e maestoso follows with a theme reminiscent of the main theme of the first movement from the orchestral symphony of 1888. The next movement, a cantabile Andantino, breaks off in the middle of a scherzo-like section with refined undulating lines and mysterious-sounding registration. The Andantino's beautiful solo is played first on the organ's Cromorne and later on the celestial Voix Céleste. Then follows a transition in which Franck takes inspiration from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and allows the main theme of each previous section to speak again, something he also does in the orchestral symphony. In the last part, we hear the theme from the first allegro as a solemn hymn in F sharp major and with wandering movements in the pedal. The work ends with a shorter fugato and a brilliant, orchestral colored finale. The manuscript, which is preserved in the Museum of Musikkulturens Främjande in Stockholm, is dated 16 September 1863 with a dedication to the eccentric pianist and composer Charles-Valentin Alkan. HANS FAGIUS

Organist Mikael Wahlin has performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Stockholm in Copland's Symphony and with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra in Jongens Symphonie Concertante. Wahlin has initiated new music for organ and cello and received a prize for his own work in the Edward Vincent Organ Foundation's competition for new Swedish organ works. In addition to album recordings, he has made a large number of recordings for Sveriges Radio. Mikael Wahlin works as a lecturer in organ playing at Marie Cederschiöld University in Stockholm. Mikael Wahlin studied at the University of Music in Gothenburg and after his studies participated successfully in international organ competitions. In 1989 he received first prize in interpretation in St Albans, England. Wahlin has performed in venues such as Riverside Church in New York, Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, Birmingham Town Hall, McEwan Hall and St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Hull City Hall, Chartres Cathedral, St Bavo in Haarlem and the Dome in Magdeburg.