Frank is an unusual figure in French musical art, an extraordinary, peculiar personality. R. Rolland wrote about him on behalf of the hero of the novel Jean Christophe: "...this unearthly Frank, this saint of music managed to carry through a life full of hardship and despised work, the unfading clarity of a patient soul, and hence the humble smile that shone the light of goodness in his work." C. Debussy, who did not escape Frank’s charm, recalled him: “This man, who was unhappy, unrecognized, possessed
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Frank is an unusual figure in French musical art, an extraordinary, peculiar personality. R. Rolland wrote about him on behalf of the hero of the novel Jean Christophe: "...this unearthly Frank, this saint of music managed to carry through a life full of hardship and despised work, the unfading clarity of a patient soul, and hence the humble smile that shone the light of goodness in his work." C. Debussy, who did not escape Frank’s charm, recalled him: “This man, who was unhappy, unrecognized, possessed a childish soul so ineradicably good that he could always contemplate the ill-will of people and the contradictions of events without bitterness.” There are testimonies of many major musicians about this man of rare spiritual generosity, amazing clarity and simplicity, which did not talk about the cloudlessness of his life path. Frank's father belonged to an old family of court Flemish painters. Artistic family traditions allowed him to early notice the outstanding musical talent of his son, but in his character the enterprising financier prevailed, prompting him to exploit the pianistic talent of little Cesar for material gain. The thirteen-year-old pianist receives recognition in Paris - the capital of the musical world of those years, decorated with the stay of the world's largest celebrities - F. Liszt, F. Chopin, V. Bellini, G. Donizetti, N. Paganini, F. Mendelssohn, J. Meyerber, G. Berlioz. Since 1835, Frank lives in Paris and continues his education at the Conservatory. For Frank, writing classes are becoming increasingly important, which causes a break with his father. Borderline in the biography of the composer was important for the history of France in 1848 - the refusal of concert activities for the sake of composer's creativity, marriage to Felicita Demusso, the daughter of actors of the French comedy theater. Interestingly, the latest event coincides with the revolutionary events of February 22 - the wedding motorcade is forced to climb over the barricades, in which they were helped by the rebels. Frank, who did not fully understand the events, considered himself a republican and responded to the revolution by writing a song and a choir. The need to provide for the family forces the composer to constantly engage in private lessons (from a newspaper announcement: "Mr. César Frank ... resumes private lessons ...: piano, theoretical and practical harmony, counterpoint and fugue..."). He could not afford to give up this daily hour-long grueling work for the rest of his days, and even suffered an injury from the thrust of an omnibus on his way to one of his students, which led him to death. Late came to Frank recognition of his compositional work - the main business of his life. His first success was experienced only at the age of 68, while his music earned worldwide recognition only after his death. However, any hardships of life did not shake the healthy strength of spirit, naive optimism, benevolence of the composer, which caused the sympathy of contemporaries and descendants. He found that walking to lessons is good for health and knew how to enjoy even mediocre performance of his works, often taking the indifference of the public for a warm welcome. Apparently, this affected the national identity of his Flemish temperament. Responsible, precise, calmly harsh, Frank was noble in his work. The composer’s way of life was mobilely monotonous – rising at 4:30 a.m., 2 hours of work for himself, as he called the composition, at 7 a.m. he was already going to lessons, returning home only for dinner, and if his students in the organ and composition class did not come to him on this day, he had a couple of hours to finalize his works. Without exaggeration, this can be called a feat of selfless work not for the sake of money or success, but for the sake of loyalty to yourself, to the cause of your life, to your vocation, to your higher skill. Frank created 3 operas, 4 oratorios, 5 symphonic poems. Poem for Piano and Orchestra, often performed Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra, a magnificent Symphony, chamber-instrumental works (in particular, found successors and imitators in France Quartet and Quintet), beloved by performers and listeners of the Sonata for Violin and Piano, romances, piano works (special recognition of the public deserved large single-part compositions - Prelude, Choral and Fugue and Prelude, aria and finale), about 130 pieces for the organ. Frank's music is always significant and noble, animated by a high idea, perfect in design and at the same time full of sound charm, colorfulness and expressiveness, earthly beauty and sublime spirituality. Frank was one of the creators of French symphonic music, opening with Saint-Saëns the era of large-scale, serious and significant symphonic and chamber works. In his Symphony, the combination of a romantically restless spirit with classical harmony and proportionality of form, organ density of sound creates a unique appearance of the composition of the original and original. Frank had an amazing sense of "material." He owned a craft in the highest sense of the word. Despite the work in pieces, in his works there are no breaks and scrapes, musical thought flows continuously and naturally. He had the rare ability to continue writing from anywhere he had to interrupt, he didn’t have to “enter” the process, and he seemed to carry his inspiration all the time. At the same time, he could work on several works simultaneously, and never repeated the form once found twice, coming to a fundamentally new solution in each work. The splendid mastery of the highest composing skill was manifested in Frank’s organ improvisations, in this genre almost forgotten from the time of the great J. S. Bach. Frank, a well-known organist, was invited to the opening ceremonies of new organs, such an honor was awarded only to the largest organists. Until the end of the days, at least two or three times a week, Frank played in the church of St. John. Clotilds, striking their art not only parishioners. Contemporaries recall: “...he came to kindle the flame of his brilliant improvisations, often more valuable than many carefully crafted samples, we ... forgot about everything in the world, contemplating a tense-attentive profile and especially a powerful forehead, around which the inspired melodies and exquisite harmonies reflected by the pilasters of the cathedral seemed to flow: filling it, they were then lost at the top in its vaults.” Frank's improvisations were heard by List. The disciple of Frank W. d'Andy writes: "The leaf came out of the church ... sincerely agitated and admiring, saying the name of J. S. Bach, the comparison with which itself arose in his mind ..." “These poems have a place next to the masterpieces of Sebastian Bach!” he exclaimed. Great influence of organ sound on the style of piano and orchestral works of the composer. So, one of his most popular works - Prelude, chorale and fugue for piano - inspired by organ sounds and genres - excited toccata prelude with coverage of the entire range, the calm foot of the chorale with a sense of continuously stretching organ sound, a large-scale fugue with Bachian intonations of sigh-complaint, and the pathos of music, the breadth and sublimity of the theme, as it were, brought to the piano art the speech of an ardent preacher, convincing humanity of the height, the sorrowfulness of his sacrifice and these values. A true love of music and his pupils permeated Frank’s teaching activities at the Paris Conservatory, where his organ class became the center of composition studies. The search for new harmonic colors and forms, interest in modern music, amazing knowledge of a huge number of works by various composers attracted young musicians to Frank. Among his students were such interesting composers as E. Shosson or W. d'Andy, who discovered the Schola cantorum in memory of the teacher, designed to develop the traditions of the great master. Universal was the posthumous recognition of the composer. One of his prescient contemporaries wrote: "Mr. César Frank ... will be considered in the twentieth century one of the greatest musicians of the nineteenth." Frank’s works adorned the repertoire of such major performers as M. Long, A. Corto, R. Cazadezius. E. Izai performed the Violin Sonata of Frank in the workshop of the sculptor O. Rodin, his face at the time of the performance of this amazing work was especially inspired, and the famous Belgian sculptor K. Meunier took advantage of this when creating a portrait of the famous violinist. The traditions of the composer’s musical thinking were refracted in the works of A. Onegger, partially reflected in the works of Russian composers N. Mettner and G. Katoire. Inspired and rigorous music of Frank convinces of the value of the ethical ideals of the composer, which allowed him to become an example of high service to art, selfless devotion to his work and human duty.