Franck, César (1822-1890)

Franck, César

COMPOSER (BELGIUM)

BORN 10 Dec 1822, Liège - DIED 8 Nov 1890, Paris
GRAVE LOCATION Paris: Cimetière du Montparnasse, 3 Boulevard Edgar Quinet (division 26)

César Franck was born in Liège, then part of the Netherlands. He studied in Paris where Anton Reicha was one of his teachers. He won several first prizes between 1838 and 1840. In 1842 he left the Conservatory. After living in Belgium for two years he started working as a teacher and as an organist in Paris. His oratorio "Ruth" was premiered in 1845 in private before Liszt, Meyerbeer and others. When it was publicly performed in 1846 it was a failure and it only performed again in revised form in 1872.

His friendship with Eugénie-Félicité-Caroline Saillot (1824-1918) and his later love resulted in a break with his parents. After he had turned 25 his father couldn't stop him anymore and he married Félicité on 22 Feb 1848.

In 1858 he was engaged as organist at Sainte-Clotilde and he held this position until his death. In 1872 he accepted a professorship at the Conservatory in Paris. After this time he wrote many works that were widely performed. In 1885 he was made a Chevalier of the French Légion d'honneur. The violin sonata he composed for the wedding of Egène Ysaÿe was a huge success.

He died in 1890 in Paris. He was first buried at Montrouge Cemtery, but his remains where transferred to Montparnasse Cemetery. The tomb was designed by his friend Gaston Redon.

Related persons
• was teacher of Bonis, Mélanie
• was pupil of Colet, Hippolyte
• influenced Fauré, Gabriel
• was teacher of Holmès, Augusta
• was teacher of Jaëll, Marie
• was pupil of Reicha, Anton
• was a friend of Ysaye, Eugène
• was pupil of Zimmermann, Pierre

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