Kawai Piano Prices: Organ Works [Paperback] Review

Although from time to time one reads of an "Andantino in g-minor" being out there, the major organ works of César Franck comprise 12 pieces:6 from 1862 ("Six Pièces pour Grand-Orgue"), 3 from 1878 ("Trois Pièces") and 3 from 1890, his year of death ("Trois Chorals", which are his actual swan-song).Although sometimes he's not the best at sticking to forms (sometimes his improvising got too obviously into his written-down music), overall one can't argue against what's very inspired music of a profound and noble faith one wishes were more in evidence these days.

[These 12 major works are so designated to distinguish them from a number of lesser pieces, many of them collected under the heading "L'Organiste" which are intended mostly for liturgical use and quickly get cloying if played in concert in too great a number.It's these 12 pieces that are regularly found on concert programmes as well as in church usage.]

Interestingly enough, it's often been difficult to get one's hands upon a single-volume issue of these pieces (Kalmus used to issue them in 4 smaller volumes) - until Dover came out with this edition.I cannot recommend it too highly:excellent republication of Durand's first printing thereof - and when I note that a number of errors present in the initial publication (still visible in the Kalmus reprints) are discreetly corrected here, it helps make this edition even more reliable and praiseworthy!

Very strongly recommended for organists, music-lovers generally and notably as a wonderful corrective to today's age of unbelief - hearing (and playing) these works truly is a tonic for the soul![Personally, I wish they had been printed in portrait instead of the landscape format used here;however, I do know that a number of organists like this particular format and so this form has no bearing upon the mark hereby given.]GET IT!!!

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Product Description:
Treasury of great composer's best-known works for organ, including Six Pieces (Liszt ranked them with the masterpieces of Bach), Trois Pieces-including the well-known "Piece Heroique"-and the Trois Chorals, perhaps Franck's finest organ works. Reproduced directly from authoritative Durand edition in an oblong format designed for easy use at the keyboard.