César Franck
César Franck’s music carries the weight and colour of the Romantic organ loft into symphony, chamber music and song. The Violin Sonata, Symphony in D minor, organ Chorales and Pièce héroïque, and the serene Panis angelicus remain central to the repertoire he shaped.
French Romantic composer, organist and teacher, Franck wrote with the grandeur and flexibility of the Cavaillé-Coll instruments he played and demonstrated. His organ works—the Six Pièces, Trois Pièces, Pièce héroïque and the three Chorales—treat the instrument as a full orchestra: cyclic themes, rich harmony and long-breathed lines that move from contemplative stillness to blazing climax. The same architecture drives the Symphony in D minor, the Piano Quintet and the Symphonic Variations. The Violin Sonata unfolds as continuous song, its final canon both intimate and radiant. Sacred pieces such as Panis angelicus distil that warmth into pure lyric simplicity. Across genres the voice is unmistakable: serious, generous, and built to last.
Compositions by César Franck appear on
Timeless
The title “Timeless” reflects Tamara Smolyar's desire to offer a personal interpretation of these classic pieces and creates something for her family and others to enjoy. Moreover, the title echoes the beauty of music’s ability to travel across generations and cultures to reach new audiences. Hopefully, you can be inspired by these compositions as well.
Organs of the Ballarat Goldfields
15 historic organs in the Ballarat region can be heard on this CD released to coincide with the 2005 festival. There is a fully illustrated 16 page booklet which surveys the organ builders, churches and their organs, the music, and the performers.
Organ Miniatures
A collection of 33 short organ works performed on the 1882 T.C. Lewis organ in St George's Uniting Church, East St. Kilda, Melbourne. The collection of pieces on this recording represents a small sample of works deliberately composed for small pipe organs and harmoniums.
The Star of the Sea
A superb programme of Italian and French organ favourites designed to exploit all the resources of this justly famous Grandfather Fincham organ in St. Mary's Star-of-the-Sea, West Melbourne.
A Recital of organ music from St. Paul's Cathedral Melbourne
The works selected for this recording represent a variety of styles in organ music over a period of some eighty years. Three of the works come from the latter half of the nineteenth century, whilst the remaining three were written in the first half of the twentieth century.
Dream Song
A charming collection of well known songs, sure to delight audiences. It features well known works such as the immortal 'Panis Angelicus' and Andrew Lloyd-Webber's 'Pie Jesu'