Both César Franck, Camille Saint-Saëns and Thierry Escaich represent emblematic personalities of a tradition of composers, united by the common characteristic of having counted among the greatest organists and improvisers of their time. This recording is designed to introduce a multiple portrait of their piano works, highlighting the strong imprint that this vocation marked on their pianistic creation. In this wake, the voice of J.-S. Bach will be represented here through F. Busoni, an eclectic personality, who devoted himself to the study of the specificities required for the piano transcription of the Cantor's organ works. From end to end, this program transcends the aesthetics and weaves links between past and present, so much does this literature hold a particular universe.
César Franck
Prélude, aria et final FWV 23
1. Prélude
2. Aria
3. Final
Thierry Escaich
4. Les litanies de l'ombre
César Franck
Prélude, choral et fugue FWV 21
5. Prélude
6. Choral
7. Fugue
Johann Sebastian Bach / Ferruccio Busoni
8. Chaconne pour piano d'après la chaconne de la partita en ré mineur pour violon seul BWV 1004
Camille Saint-Saëns
9. Toccata opus 111/6