RomanticCésar Franck
César Franck was born in Liège, Belgium.
César Franck’s life
The big moments of this life, and what was happening in the world at the same time.
A life at a glance
- 1822👶 Birth
Born in Liège on 10 December
- 1825🌍 Meanwhile
First public passenger railway (England)
- 1837📚 Trainingage 15
Enters the Paris Conservatoire
- 1840🌍 Meanwhile
Adolphe Sax invents the saxophone (c. 1840)
- 1848❤️ Private lifeage 26
Marries Félicité Saillot-Desmousseaux during the revolution
- 1858🎩 Careerage 36
Organist of the basilica of Sainte-Clotilde in Paris
- 1862🎼 Workage 40
Six Pieces for organ
- 1871🎩 Careerage 49
Founding member of the Société nationale de musique
- 1875🌍 Meanwhile
The Palais Garnier opera house opens in Paris
- 1877🌍 Meanwhile
Edison invents the phonograph: sound can be recorded!
- 1879🎼 Workage 57
Piano Quintet
- 1885🎼 Workage 63
Symphonic Variations
- 1890🕯️ Deathage 68
Dies in Paris on 8 November after an accident with an omnibus
Listen to the music
Press the big button to listen. Close your eyes: how does it make you feel?
How does this music feel to you?
Excerpts of up to 90 seconds, freely licensed recordings from Wikimedia Commons.
Once upon a time…
César Franck was born in Liège, Belgium. His dad wanted him to become a famous pianist like Liszt. At eleven César was already touring!
He settled in Paris and became organist of a big church, Sainte-Clotilde, with a magnificent organ. His improvisations were so beautiful that Liszt compared him to Bach.
Franck was a very kind teacher: his pupils adored him. He composed most of his masterpieces when he was already old, including a Violin Sonata given as a wedding present to a violinist friend.
On his wedding day, in the middle of a revolution, he had to climb over barricades to get to the church!
César Franck’s instruments
Tap an instrument to hear it!
Cards to flip
Are you an expert on César Franck?
Answer the questions and win stars!
Same era · Romantic
1813 – 1901RomanticGiuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi was born in a little village in Italy.
1813 – 1883RomanticRichard Wagner
Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, Germany.
1818 – 1893RomanticCharles Gounod
Charles Gounod was born in Paris.
1819 – 1896RomanticClara Schumann
Clara Wieck was born in Leipzig, Germany.
1824 – 1884RomanticBedřich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana was born in Bohemia, today’s Czech Republic.
1833 – 1887RomanticAlexandre Borodine
Alexander Borodin was born in St Petersburg, Russia.