🎵 César Franck - Chorale No. 1 in E Major // Joseph Wicks

[@desertorganist]

Superbly judged and played. The E Major Chorale is a formidably difficult work to make sound effortless, but Joseph Wicks pulls it off, bringing the triumphant final statement of the chorale theme in a blaze of reeds. And there is nothing, nothing on earth like the sound of Cavaillé-Coll reeds in full cry!

[@oaktadopbok665]

I don't know how Franck did it - the tension-building through those melodic variations, never quite resolving, never quite going where you thought he was going, the subtle dissonances . . oh my god. Franck's 3 chorales (along with his Pastorale) are some of the most beautiful works ever composed for organ, imho. Joseph played this piece with exquisite finesse and tempo. I was in tears the whole time - never having actually seen this piece performed, only heard it countelss times since I was a small child. My dad always tried to play it, but never got very far. Love you dad, wish you could see this!

[@grahamtwist]

A fabulous performance by Joseph Wicks of this beautiful first Chorale by César Franck: BRAVO!

[@JosephWicks93]

Thanks Graham!

[@JonathanSilverton-ol7kn]

The best performance I have ever heard of this was on the very English Willis at Lincoln. Music and organ fitted perfectly. I am polishing it up for a recital in January and am trying to detect its alleged eroticism. So far with no success. Any kind of excitement at my age is always welcome.

[@habakkuk76]

My favourite of the three - by a whisker. A lovely reminder of listening to you play the Three Chorales on the 'Little Giant' Father Willis of Truro Cathedral, to the manner born.

[@mbcraig2]

Joseph Wicks is a master of sensitivity, lyricism, and musicality! Breathtaking! :D

[@robcamfield]

I did enjoy that Joseph so much! Thankyou.

[@philipm3776]

What beautifully paced and inflected playing. His background as a singer shines through.

[@beautyinsound]

Absolutely, I completely agree. I often think singers can shape musical phrases better than others. Joseph plays very musically 😊

[@JosephWicks93]

Thank you Philip. This comment means a lot to me - it is precisely what I aim to convey, particularly in the music of Franck!

[@mbcraig2]

And I love Franck! Did not know you are a singer! Bravo! @@JosephWicks93

[@briandearden7585]

Very well played Joseph. Thank you.

[@jeffreyhoward879]

Great performance - one of the best on KZbin for sure!

[@rogernichols1124]

This is a beautiful, sensitive performance of the least often performed of the Three Chorals. Possibly its dynamic demands and immensely important musical architecture make it a tough challenge for many organists. The opening is just seductively and deceptively simple gut is the start of a long and exciting journey to final destination.

[@eensio]

Cesar Franck is my favorite composer and this is one of his favorite compositions for me. The possibility to listen here these masterful presentations is my paradisum of being retired.

[@miltronix]

STUNNING! Many thanks

[@dalerider3124]

Graham Twist, my friend, you said it absolutely perfectly. JOSEPH WICKS, you gave a heart-moving performance of FRANCK's No. 1 Chorale. Thank you, so much, for the years of training, rehearsal and perfection you have given to your gifts and talents.

[@drewkovach9951]

Wonderful performance! Many thanks to Joseph Wicks and Richard and BIS.

[@michaelmccarren8083]

This was an absolutely splendid and engaging performance! Joseph, bravo!

[@joaquinmecho3834]

Thanks Joseph, I enjoyed your interpretation. Congratulations

[@quickfoxxes]

My goodness, what a majestic sound! That St. Ouen Cavaille-Coll is my favorite organ. Great Franck -- so extremely well played. Thank you very much Joseph, and to Richard and Caroline (and Hugo.) DJ in Knoxville TN

[@fionnaighreid2175]

beautiful playing and registration, very emotionally captivating. Thank you. this was not a piece i have heard before

[@peterstapleton9596]

This is a truly captivating performance, love the registrations throughout too very powerful. Thank You!

[@katydickson5547]

Such a beautiful piece played with such warmth and feeling. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@davidpatton6167]

One of the most moving and musically sensitive performances of this work that I have ever had the privilege of hearing. Thank you, Joseph, for sharing your talents and Richard for your vision.

[@keyplayer1441]

The E maj has never been my favourite of the Franck chorales but I have to say I’ve heard very few performances that held me as that one did! Fantastic job!

[@lawrenceelliott350]

I love the slower tempo at the opening. The effect is like singing.

[@beautyinsound]

It’s a very dignified and majestic tempo, isn’t it?

[@JosephWicks93]

Lawrence, your comment really rings true with my feelings about Franck’s music in general, but particularly this piece and its melodies. So easy to imagine the tunes sung.

[@bluefunkybassman]

Absolutely wonderful! Love his work as a tenor in The Gesualdo Six as well...

[@mr2646]

Amazing. What a good choice to play Franck with the St Ouen's organ palette.

[@jmlloyd40]

Brilliant!! Thank you xx

[@beautyinsound]

You’re welcome, from us both 😃

[@AlejandroConsolacionII]

He makes the organ sing! Bravo Joseph Wicks!

[@beautyinsound]

Good to hear from you! Do you play this? It's such a wonderful piece!

[@AlejandroConsolacionII]

@@beautyinsound Hello Richard. Thank you for doing a Franck music available - specially for this year. It's a great piece and part of my study list.

[@JosephWicks93]

Thank you so much Alejandro!

[@hallja13]

Bravo for a masterful performance. I actually played this piece (from memory, no less!) on my senior recital back in the mid-1980's. I can't believe now that I ever mastered it, and I'm sure I didn't do it the justice Joseph does on this recording. What a pleasure to hear it on a classic French organ!

[@DavidMiller.93]

Living in Cambridge I have the opportunity to hear some wonderful instruments in the Churches and Colleges and some wonderful Organists. I have heard Joseph play several times at St John's. :)

[@SamuelSleath]

Thank you very much Joseph, it sounded absolutely amazing! I love the Chorales by Franck and can't wait to hear more pieces throughout the year!

[@socialite1283]

Marvelous! Thanks.

[@beautyinsound]

Blooming Marvellous, I say! 😀

[@socialite1283]

@@beautyinsound Not a bad result out of a simple house-organ, eh. :)

[@martym61]

Simply lovely. Thank you Joseph.

[@beautyinsound]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@JosephWicks93]

Thank you for watching!

[@johnheimel5594]

Beautiful performance! This is my favorite of the 3 Chorales.

[@beautyinsound]

Interesting! Mine favourite is the 3rd, I think. No... perhaps the 2nd? Actually the 1st. Argh! I love them all equally!

[@craigdelaney8737]

WONDERFUL!..👏👏👏🙏 Good Sounds to start my day! (I work in the evening.. 🌆) Thank You!!!💘🎧😊

[@sekhmet7440]

Played so wonderfully. Thank you Joseph, hope to see you again here

[@beautyinsound]

He’s definitely coming back! 😉

[@JosephWicks93]

😃

[@jerrymartin79]

Bravo!! What an amazing performance and amazing sound. This piece is on my to-do list for this year and this recording is truly inspirational (if I can play it 10% as good as Joseph when I'm done I'll be happy). Bravo, and thank you Richard and Joseph!

[@JosephWicks93]

Many thanks, Jerry 😊

[@RalphLooij]

Just brilliant, nothing more to say!

[@beautyinsound]

Perfectly summed up!

[@revjonathan3166]

Amazing!!!!!!

[@matthieubazile3350]

Wonderful performance!

[@robertfovargue636]

Performed with such sensitivity.

[@765bigben]

Love it! Thank you, Joseph, for this wonderful performance. I hear shades of the Symphony in d minor, one of my all-time favorites.

[@beautyinsound]

Cheers Ben. I hope Andy gets to see it 😊

[@VoxAngelica8]

Wonderful job!

[@andreknevel5242]

Phenomenal playing can't beat the Cavaille-Coll Bravo!

[@beautyinsound]

Thank you!

[@JSB2500]

I put this on to play whilst lying in bed, trying to get back to sleep. Within just a few bars I was literally sitting bolt upright: I recognized it as something special - VERY special indeed. I've heard it played by a dozen other organists, and I play it myself, and all played it well. However, never have I heard it so profoundly gripping from the very outset. Chorale indeed - not just harmony - and a powerful one too, played like this. I knew without any doubt that what was special about this performance would continue to the end. Wonderfully, so many others here also recognised it as something very special - indicating that it's objectively so.

[@JSB2500]

Crucially, Joseph is clearly deeply mentally and emotionally engaged with the music. That's vitally important for my enjoyment of music.

[@beautyinsound]

A lovely comment John, thank you.

[@JosephWicks93]

How lovely to read this. Thank you so much for writing it and I’m very glad you enjoyed it!

[@norbertsaremba9036]

Very nice 😃

[@magesterium2485]

Really exciting performance ! It's almost like u have the organ of St Ouen in your living room and the final chords are like the church bells ringing out !

[@beautyinsound]

In the room, it sounds just like it - honestly!

[@summerwind3217]

Nice 👌🌹

[@beautyinsound]

😃

[@georgerobey9360]

Fab. I love this piece and echo many of the (positive) comments below: although it has its technical challenges (accidentals and big stretches for example), I think that this piece has real musical challenges which Joseph has very convincingly met.

[@StoreeDenson]

Beautiful. Franck Chorales are very similar to Bach Prelude and Fugues. I think you can see the similarities on Franck Chorale in A Minor with the beginning measures being a romantic twist to Bach Prelude an Fugue in A minor.

[@judithwhitehouse2149]

Hi, Joseph! Hope we hear you again in Truro before too long...

[@marnofranck6204]

That feeling you get when you listen to your forefather's music

[@jorybennett5932]

An exceptionally fine interpretation. The others please...

[@beautyinsound]

haha well stay tuned because they will all appear over the coming months! 👍

[@laurentdevrillac3301]

Excellente idée d'inviter des organistes!! Superbe hommage à César Franck par M.Wicks. Franck disparaît le 8 novembre 1890 et l'orgue reconstruit de l'église abbatiale Saint-Ouen de Rouen, par Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, est inauguré par Widor le 17 avril 1890. Les festivités marquant la naissance de Franck, ont commencé. A Saint-Eustache, c'était la Grande Pièce symphonique op.17 le 27 février 2022 et y sont annoncés le 13 mars 2022 la fantaisie en la, le Cantabile et la Pièce héroïque...que nous entendrons très certainement ici sur BIS dans les prochains mois.

[@beautyinsound]

Je suis ravie que vous approuviez cette initiative ! J'ai besoin de trouver quelqu'un pour jouer la Grande Pièce symphonique... avez-vous des suggestions ?

[@laurentdevrillac3301]

@@beautyinsound Cher Monsieur McVeigh, comme vous écrivez bien le français, je vous réponds donc en français.Il y a sans doute de très bons organistes anglais pour interpréter la pièce de Franck.Vous cherchez un organiste étranger, un organiste français? Bon courage à vous pour votre défi Duruflé car ce n'est pas du gâteau!!! Je ne sais pas si vous avez déjà interprété une des plus belles oeuvres de Franck: Prière?

[@beautyinsound]

J'aimerais que quelqu'un comme Ben Van Oosten joue du Franck sur mon orgue - peut-être la Grande Pièce Symphonique. Je persévère toujours avec le Duruflé et j'adore ça !

[@garymcwithey980]

Another fabulous performance on this glorious instrument. Love your new console. What are all the extra drawknobs goingto control?

[@ColinHarvey78]

Lovely performance and the machine is very impressive! What happened to the sound at the Maestoso section where Franck calls for 16 & 8 ft reeds? There seems to be some attenuation? Is this caused by KZbin sound management - seems more likely than this set up!

[@beautyinsound]

It sounds much more raw in the room itself, which you’ll hear when you come round 😉

[@geezernorth]

Perhaps I should swap my daytime and evening activities so you can hear my 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼 !

[@uries15]

Very inspiring performance but which raises a very dull question from me: How are the physical stops on the jambs adjusted in accordance with the different Hauptwerk organs selected?

[@beautyinsound]

I’d suggest watching my Organ Overview video which I uploaded a few weeks ago. I think the answer to your questions will be in there :)

[@markaustin4370]

Nicely played The Recit sounds a bit mild compared to the GO. The vox is stunning

[@peterallison5021]

Just listened to a friends SACD DSD recording of the same piece in the same venue, and apart from tempo, the Hauptwerk sample set is amazing

[@beautyinsound]

You should hear it in the room - it’s astonishing! Joseph has played the real organ fairly recently and said it’s very much like the real thing! 👍

[@bluefunkybassman]

@@beautyinsound I hope you baked him some homemade patisserie for even more immersion!

[@jonnyaddles]

You're the spitting image of your dad

[@beautyinsound]

(That’s a nice complement!) 😉