César Franck (1822-1890) Prélude, Aria, et Final, for piano, FWV 23 (1886) Nikolai Lugansky, 2020 Moscow Philharmonic Society [0:00] I. Prélude. Allegro moderato e maestoso [8:46] II. Aria. Lento [14:25] III. Final. Allegro molto ed agitato “To Alfred Cortot (who made a classic recording of the Prélude, Aria et Final in 1932), the Prélude's opening theme evoked a choir of angels by Piero della Francesca, hymning the nativity. Other commentators describe it fairly as a march, though the deportment of its serene gait conveys radiant aspiration -- we hear a maestoso soft thunder. Franck had enormous hands, and he asks, without comment, for the pianist to span a series of elevenths, and even a thirteenth, without evident discomfort -- a feat beyond the grasp of many. A second theme brings the inevitable note of anxiety and a development in which the first theme takes on a risoluto swagger. After a climax, a third theme, sostenuto e serioso, is introduced in bare octaves and immediately beset by masterful, rich contrapuntal involvements that weave an aura of sighing suspense and high drama before the first theme returns to end the Prélude with virile assertiveness. In all but name, this is a sonata first movement molded after the manner of Beethoven's last sonatas. After a 15-bar introduction, the Aria -- molto espressivo ma semplice -- makes its appearance, its melodic magic soon magnified in octaves, extrapolated in fluent legatissimo textures, and wrought to a rapt climax. Marked Allegro molto ed agitato, the Final begins with a harried chase in echoing octaves and octave volleys that scare up a chromatically wailing figure suggestive of demoniac possession. Heralded by an animato flourish of detached octaves in counterpoint, a carillon-like theme resounds in the instrument's central register, soon garlanded in triplets, to announce salvation. In good cyclic fashion, these themes blossom from germs and phrases in the preceding movements, and proceed to a great developmental struggle of light in darkness which is, at sublime length, resolved as the Prélude's opening theme and the Aria are woven together in silvery rapture.” - Adrian Corleonis