Richard Franck (3 January 1858 – 22 January 1938) was a German pianist, composer and teacher.
He was born in Cologne and was the son of the German composer, pianist and teacher Eduard Franck. His father, who had studied with Felix Mendelssohn and knew the value of good instruction, sent Richard to the Leipzig Conservatory, where he studied with two of the leading teachers of the day, Carl Reinecke and Salomon Jadassohn. During the course of a long career, Franck held teaching positions at conservatories in both Germany (Kassel, Berlin, Heidelberg) and in Switzerland (Basle).
Although he did not reach the front rank amongst his contemporaries, he was nevertheless well-respected as a concert artist and as a composer. His conservative style was influenced by Reinecke and by his friend, the Swiss composer Hans Huber (1852–1921). Franck was firmly in the tradition of Mendelssohn and Schumann though it’s clear that he was not immune from the influence of Wagner, Grieg and Reger also. Those critics, who were familiar with his compositions and his piano playing, regularly lavished praised upon them. For example, the Schweizerische Musikzeitung (Swiss Musical Journal), writing about his First Piano Trio, Op. 20, wrote:
"Powerful and full-sounding energy is shown in many works, not least in [Richard Franck's] Op.20 Piano Trio, which is a magnificent, significant composition, fresh in invention, firm and secure in its development, and mature in its expression."
The bulk of Franck's compositions are for solo piano, however, he also wrote orchestral and vocal compositions as well as a considerable amount of chamber music. Though he and his music have been long forgotten, as of late, his music has been rediscovered and is in the process of being revived. His piano trios, piano quartets and four sonatas have all been recently recorded on Audite, a selection of orchestra works on Sterling. Early in 2007, Edition Silvertrust republished the parts to his Op. 20 Piano Trio, the first in a series of chamber works to be released.
Within the next years, all available works of Richard Franck will be published in critical editions by Pfefferkorn Music Publishers, Leipzig.
Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor (1880, unpublished)Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major (unpublished)Symphony in D major (< 1901, unpublished)Concert Overture Wellen des Meeres und der Liebe, Op. 21 (1895)Serenade for Cello and Orchestra in C major, Op. 24 (1896)Serenade for Violin and Orchestra in A major, Op. 25 (1896)Suite for Orchestra in D major, Op. 30 (1899)Dramatic Overture in C major, Op. 37 (1903)Idyll Amor und Psyche in E major, Op. 40 (1905)Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 43 (1906)Piano Concerto No. 3 in E minor, Op. 50 (ca. 1907)Vorspiel zu einem romantischen Schauspiel op. 57 (1926, unpublished)Sonata No.1 for Violin & Piano in D Major, Op.14 - (Critical Urtext-Edition 2010 by Pfefferkorn Musikverlag / Music Publishers, Leipzig. ISMN 979-0-50139-406-6)Piano Trio No.1 in B minor, Op.20Sonata for Cello & Piano in D Major, Op.22Piano Trio No.2 in E Flat Major, Op.32Piano Quartet No.1 in A Major, Op.33Sonata No.2 for Violin & Piano in C minor, Op.35 - (Critical Urtext-Edition 2010 by Pfefferkorn Musikverlag / Music Publishers, Leipzig. ISMN 979-0-50139-406-6)Sonata No.2 for Cello & Piano in E flat minor, Op.36Piano Quartet No.2 in E Major, Op.41Three Pieces for Flute (or Violin) & Piano, Op.52Spanish Serenade for String Quartet WoO (1926)Drei pianostücke Op. 1, Zürich 1881Impromptu, Barcarolle and Etude for piano Op. 5, Berlin 1883Concert-Walzer for piano A flat major, Op. 10, Berlin 1885Drei vierhändige Stücke in Kanonform, Op. 11, Magdeburg 1886Tanzweisen for four-hand piano Op. 12, Breslau 1888Menuett for piano A minor, Op. 13, Leipzig 1890Suite for four-hand piano Op. 9, Leipzig 1890Vier pianostücke Op. 15, Zürich 1891Variationen über ein Originalthema Op. 16, Leipzig 1891Menuett and Mazurka for piano Op. 17, Leipzig 1891Fantasie über Motive aus der Musik zu einem Festspiele by Hans Huber C major, Leipzig ca. 1893Träumereien. Four pieces for piano Op. 18, Berlin 1894Kinderalbum Op. 19, unpublishedDrei Clavierstücke for den Concertvortrag Op. 23, Berlin 1894Drei Fantasiestücke for piano Op. 26, Berlin 1899Fantasie(n) for piano Op. 28, Berlin 1897Chaconne for piano c-Moll Op. 29, Berlin 1899Papillon in D major, (1901)Acht pianostücke Op. 34, Berlin 1902Fantasiestück A-Dur (1903Waldphantasien for piano Op. 38, Berlin 1904Luzern. Eine Erinnerung in fröhlichen Walzern Op. 39, Berlin 1904Ballade for piano Op. 44, Berlin 1906Two Piano Pieces for the Salon Op. 46, Berlin 1907Scherzo for piano A flat major Op. 47, Berlin 1907Orientalische Skizzen for piano Op. 48, KasselGavotte and Menuett for piano Op. 49, KasselSonate for piano D flat major Op. 51, Berlin 191012 Variationen and Fuge über ein eigenes Thema Op. 53 (< 1922)Fantasie and Fuge über B.A.C.H. for one or two pianosAlbum for piano Op. 55, Heidelberg 1926Polyphone Tonbilder for piano Op. 56, Heidelberg 1926