Société Nationale de Musique
The String Quartet was Franck’s first public success during his life. Franck, known as a late-flowering composer, had attracted little attention from audiences. Even the Symphony D minor and the "Prélude, Aria et Final", whose reputation is well established today, were disastrously premiered. However, he never pandered to the French public taste of the day and never ceased pursuing his ideal of music, gradually attracting interest from the public as well as professionals through masterpieces such as his violin sonata. Finally, on 19 April 1890, in the concert of the Société Nationale de Musique at Salle Pleyel, the premiere of this work was received with thunderous applause. This was just seven months before his death.