Piece Heroique

0 Full Score A3 - 1 Full Score - 1 Piccolo - 4 Flute I - 4 Flute II - 2 Oboe - 1 English Horn - 2 Bassoon - 1 Clarinet Eb - 4 Clarinet Solo - 4 Clarinet I - 4 Clarinet II - 4 Clarinet III - 1 Alto Clarinet Eb - 1 Bass Clarinet - 2 Alto Saxophone I - 2 Alto Saxophone II - 1 Tenor Saxophone I - 1 Tenor Saxophone II - 1 Baritone Saxophone - 2 Trumpet I - 2 Trumpet II - 2 Trumpet III - 2 Trumpet IV - 1 Horn I F/Eb - 1 Horn II F/Eb - 1 Horn III F/Eb - 1 Horn IV F/Eb - 2 Trombone I C - 1 Trombone I Bb (BC/TC) - 2 Trombone II C - 1 Trombone II Bb (BC/TC) - 2 Trombone III C - 1 Trombone III Bb (BC/TC) - 2 Trombone IV C - 1 Trombone IV Bb (BC/TC) - 1 Baritone C - 2 Baritone Bb (BC/TC) - 1 Baritone II C - 2 Baritone II Bb (BC/TC) - 2 Bas Bb (BC/TC) - 2 Bas Eb (TC) - 2 Bas Eb (BC) - 4 Tuba C - 1 Stringbass - 3 Percussion - 1 Timpani

César Franck (1822-1890) was born in Liege, Belgium, and his great musical talent was discovered when he was still a small boy. When he was 12 years old, his family moved to Paris. In the French capital he was active as a teacher, an organist and a conductor. In 1858 he was appointed organist at the Sainte Clotilde Church in Paris; that church boasted brand new Cavaillé-Coll organ. For this instrument Franck wrote « Six pièces pour grand orgue » (Six pieces for grand organ) in 1862 and in 1878 « Trois pièces pour grand orgue » (Three pieces for grand organ), one of those pieces being « Pièce Héroïque ». This energetic and lively composition starts with the typical rhythm of a traditional French overture. The central choral is in a major key, but then major and minor keys alternate and the work ends with a powerful fortissimo.