New-York tribune., 1922-10-29
Amsterdam Festival
Recalls Centenary
OF Cesar Frallck

wiiiem Mengelberg and his orches-
Ira. The Concersgehouw of Amsterdam.
will give, Il is announced, Cesar
gTsnck festival concert at Amsterdam
and at The Hague on December and s,
In which Eleanor Spencer. the American
Pianist, will play the Symphonic vari~
ations--which calls attention to the
approaching handredsh anniversary of
the birth of one of the most attractive
characters in the history of music.
Cesar Franck may be considered TO
have led peaceful, happy life, even
though he did not begin to win general
recognition until the year before his
death. The neglect and opposition
shown toward him in reigning French
musical circles might have stirred a
musician possessing the traditional
Temperament" to fury, but Franck
took It philosophically, even cheer
fully. His life was one of continuous
hard work, spent largely in teaching
pupils Of all kinds, some promising,
many the reverse; life without any
sensational incidents, but always de-
voted 10 his music.
Cesar Franck was born at Liege, In
Belgium, on December 10, 1929, IN
region which Vincent d'Indy finds very
like central France in appearance, but
"German in customs and surround
ings." His family was descended from
line of painters, which explains the
composers considerable talent for
drawing. His father, termed by DIndy
"a man Of stern and autocratic char
acter," decided that Cesar and his
brother should become professional
musicians, and entered him at the
Liege Music School At the age of
ten, on tour of Belgium. Cesar met
famous child-musiciah only year
older than himself, the singer Pauline
Garcia. afterward Nine. yiardot Two
years later he completed his course at
the Liege school, and in 1886 the
Francks moved to Paris. Cesar entered
tho Conseryatoire in 1887. studying
composition and pianoforte. and soon
won the award "proxime accessit'' for
Sugu,.
Signs Of the composers originality
appeared in the pianoforte competition
Of l84S, when, after an excellent per-
formance of Hummel's A Minor Con-
certo, the young musician conceived
the idea Of transposing the piece set
before him to a key ene-third lower,
and forthwith did so with equal ease.
Hs obviously deserved the first prize,
but Cherubini, then at the head of the
Conservatoire, was shocked at the in
novation and refused to award it, but
finally recognized Franck's performances
By proposing specials award called
@Grand priS d'Honneur." This was
the only time, according to Nj. dsfny.s
In the history of the Conservatoire,
chat such prize was ever given.
Franck won the second prize for fugue
In the competition of 1899, horrifying
his father by finishing his examination
and walking cut long before the clos
Ing order, with all the others still
struggling with the questions. The
elder Franck reproved him for this
apparent carelessness, but the young
man only smiled, and answered, II
think it is all right"
de won the first prize for gugue in
Is4o, In spite of an ungrateful set sub
ssct. and the, next year, as a pupil of
Andre Benoit. competed for the organ
prize. The tests are traditionai--de-
vising an accompaniment for plain
chant chosen for the occasion, the per-
9ormance of an organ piece with pedal
and the improvisations of fugue and
OF q piece in sonata form on themes
chosen by the examiners. Here
Franck's love OF originality found an
other opportunity. and he treated the
subjects simultaneously, a bril- liant
performance, but its length of devel-
opment quite bewildered the examiners,
who at first proposed to award him
nothing. but eventually gave him q
second prize.
Franck was beginning his prepara-
sions for the Prix dc Rome, but sud
denly, in April, 1912, his father removed
him from the Conservatoire and tolc
him to prepare for the career of Z
virtuoso pianist. This, observes D'Indy
was just The period when such pianist.
we're having their greatest vogue, wher
: List and Thaiberg, forAinstance, held
the center OF the stage in the capitals
OF Europe. Such careers had dazzlee
the elder Franek, who was determined
on similar fame for his sons. Cesar
returned to Belgium and complied wit,
his fathers wishes. In the life waict
he now was leading there was little en.
portunity for serious study, but these
two years were not entirely barren
His three trios were dedicated to King
Leopold, in the hope that royal recogni-
tion would carry the young pianist ias
Forward on his road TO celebrity. Blu,
she King failed to respond, and IN iSal
the Frsncks returned to Paris, taking