The bicentenary of César Franck (2022) perhaps did not have the desired brilliance, because projects which would have enriched his discography could not be recorded during the pandemic. It is therefore with pleasure that we receive this version of the Beatitudes, a two-hour choral work intended for those who like the slightly grandiloquent style and pomp associated with César Franck. It is amusing to see that the participating choir is the national one of Hungary, as one thinks of Christus by Franz Liszt, another nice “big choral thing”, but a little long, which struggles to find its audience and whose memorable portion is also the “Beatitudes” section. The recording made in Liège by an involved ensemble and very good soloists (special mention to David Bižić in Christ) suffers, to convince us that until now we have missed a masterpiece, a its too dull, which prevents the music from blossoming to its full extent. Noble publication for music lovers curious about a work (1879) that Franck never heard during his lifetime.
To watch on video