UPDATED 03/13/2010

FEATURED INSTRUMENT CONCERT   Your support is necessary to continue this service. Even a small donation will help. Harmonium Debain Paris (1874) - Samples by Paul Delferriere Seven Pieces in E minor or E Major Franck, César: Andantino quasi allegretto in E minor The right hand is reinforced by a 16' stop throughout. Uses original Harmonium Debain. [1:31] HW1 Franck, César: Valse in E minor This piece is unnamed and no tempo is indicated, but the time signature is 3/4. The right hand three part accompaniment is the Clarinette and Cornemuse 16' stops, and the "melody" in the left hand is on the Dolce and Cor-Anglais 8' and Violoncelle 4' of the original Harmonium Debain. [1:16] HW1 Franck, César: Prière in E minor Tempo is "Quasi lento." Mode is plaintive. Basic 8' stops in both hands. The composer's alternate suggeston was tried and rejected because it lacked the childlike innocence of this version. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:29] HW1 Franck, César: Non troppo lento in E Major Typical use of chromaticism, alternating between minor and major mode, dynamic changes. The score suggests a little more prominence for the top voice, but since the crossover point overlaps occasionally, just one extra 4' stop was added to the right side. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:33] HW1 Franck, César: Allegretto in E Major The melody in the right hand calls for 16, 8' and 4 stops against a lone 8' in the left, then a short middle section has the roles reversed. Original Harmonium Debain. For a sample of what this harmonium might sound like in a reverberant French church, click here. [1:30] HW1 Franck, César: Poco allegretto in E Major Equal voices left and right, and there is a canon between the soprano and tenor voice. The Amen for this grouping is appended. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:22] HW1 Franck, César: Offertoire ou Communion in E minor This dreamy piece has sections in E minor, E Major (a 16' is added to the right hand), E minor again, C Major (where the tempo becomes Poco animato ("a little animated") and a canon between the soprano and bass voices is pursued, returning to E minor and then again to E Major. Themes from the 1st, 3rd and 6th sections of this key grouping are used as thematic material. For original Harmonium Debain. [5:15] HW1 Seven Pieces in F Major or F minor Franck, César: Allegretto in F Major, (Common Time) This march-like piece is nevertheless expressive. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:22] HW1 Franck, César: Andantino in F Major A playful romp with the theme used later in the Sortie in this grouping. The right hand is played on a 16' (with 8') stop an octave higher, with the melody louder (3 eight foot registers) in the left hand. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:12] HW1 Franck, César: Lento in F Major The right hand does double duty here: an octave higher most of the time on 16' stops, but in place (loco) on the 8' for some distinctive lower harmonies. The theme is recognizable from the Sortie which ends this group. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:18] HW1 Franck, César: Allegretto in F minor Charming little variation on the opening theme of the Sortie in this group. For original Harmonium Debain. [0:43] HW1 Franck, César: Allegretto in F Major, (3/4 Time) The rhythm is slightly off kilter so this does not appear waltz-like at first. Several dynamic levels are called for, echoing the Baroque concept of terrace dynamics. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:8] HW1 Franck, César: Poco lento in F minor Right hand is raised an octave and 16' stops are used for the melody. The Amen for this key group is appended. Original Harmonium Debain. [1:13] HW1 Franck, César: Sortie in F Major From Franck's collection "L'Organiste, 59 Pieces for Harmonium." The structure is quite plainly A-B-A, with a few pedal notes added for the reprise. [4:30] HW1 Seven Pieces in F# minor or Gb Major Franck, César: Andantino in F# minor Subtitled "Air Béarnais," the registration is tailored to the Harmonium Debain - 4' Reed in the Left Hand, 16' Foundation + String in the right hand. The note ranges and dynamics are offset cleverly so as to exploit all combinations of this registration as if it were a two-manual organ. Notice the stereo effect when hands move from bottom to top of keyboard. For original Harmonium Debain. Also available with reverberation [1:17] HW1 Franck, César: Poco allegretto in Gb Major Subtitled "Chant Béarnais," the registration is beefed up a bit just for variety, with Franck's original registration used at the end. For original Harmonium Debain. Also available with reverberation [1:13] HW1 Franck, César: Andantino in F# minor Melody is sounded high on 16' stops, with periodic echoes. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:13] HW1 Franck, César: Poco lento in Gb Major Uses the alternative registration of 16' stops (LH Bourdon; RH Cornemuse, Musette and Celeste) played an octave higher. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:14] HW1 Franck, César: Poco allegro in F# minor For this fleet and virtuosic invention, the composer specifies 8' fundamental for the left hand, 16' fundamental with 4' reed for the right hand and carefully observes the line of demarcation between the instrument's upper and lower divisions. For original Harmonium Debain. [0:51] HW1 Franck, César: Poco allegretto in Gb Major The expressive and wistful melody is from the second section of the Offertoire Funèbre in this key grouping, but in 3/4 meter. The brief Amen is appended. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:15] HW1 Franck, César: Offertoire Funèbre In three sections, the first and last in F# minor, with a now ponderous bass line derived from the fleeting Poco allegro; and the second in Gb Major, being a common meter reworking of the Poco allegretto. For original Harmonium Debain. [4:10] HW1 Seven Pieces in G Major or G minor Franck, César: Poco allegretto in G Major Restful, hopeful, sweet. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:11] HW1 Franck, César: Poco lento in G minor Marked "Vieux Noël," the melody is brought out on 16' stops played an octave higher. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:25] HW1 Franck, César: Allegretto in G Major Marked "Noël Angevin," the meter is 3/4, and the final phrase may sound familiar to most Americans. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:25] HW1 Franck, César: Quasi lento in G Major The alto voice has a perpetual motion theme, with long sustained notes in the soprano, both played on 16' stop(s) with the right hand, occasionally joined by 8' stops in the left. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:45] HW1 Franck, César: Quasi allegro in G minor Like number 3 in this set, it is marked "Noël Angevin." For original Harmonium Debain. [0:50] HW1 Franck, César: Allegretto vivo in G minor Playful and lively, as the tempo marking suggests. Followed by Amen for this key grouping. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:36] HW1 Franck, César: Sortie in G Major In three sections: Allegro, based on the Allegretto (#3) in this key grouping, Quasi lento, based on the Quasi Lento (#4) in this key grouping, and Allegro, a dramatic amalgam of the first two. For otiginal Harmonium Debain. [3:22] HW1 Three Pieces in Ab Major This work was unfortunately left unfinished because of the death of the Master Franck, César: Poco maestoso in Ab Major A little majestic - contradiction in terms? For original Harmonium Debain. [1:31] HW1 Franck, César: Allegretto amabile in Ab Major Quite agreeable melody in the right hand using 16' stops against 8' in the left hand. For original Harmonium Debain. [1:15] HW1 Franck, César: Andantino in Ab Major The melody is in the left hand on 8' stops, the accompaniment in the right hand on 16' stops. This is the final piece in the collection, due to the composer's death in November, 1890. [1:44] HW1