In Franck’s magnificent E major Chorale, there is an obvious blotch in certain editions which appears right next to the tenor voice of a 4-part texture (see dark blue square, upper left example). Whatever the genesis of the blotch, it has led to what I believe are incorrect performances of the passage.
The blotch clearly includes a large, somewhat circular shape, attached to what appears to be the note B in the space above the bass staff. If the B is indeed the composer’s intention, then it must be observed that 1) the lower right corner of the note head is missing, 2) a fifth, non-doubling voice has suddenly been added to the texture, and 3) the added note results in a dissonant 9 - 8 combination with the accented passing tone C sharp in the soprano, thus significantly changing the sonority of the chord.
If we look at the analogous passage later in the piece, with pedals added, we see that the B is not present. Its absence, however, has nothing to do with the added pedal line: the pedal line is simply an octave doubling of the lowest voice in the manuals.
The only sensible conclusion is that the B is part of the smudge. The middle and lower examples on the left show the large part of the blotch, and then the entire blotch, removed. Why does this problem go undetected? The answer is straightforward. The B is indeed possible - after all, it is the root of the prevailing harmony, the B dominant 7th chord. But why would Franck vary the harmony, by omitting the B, in only one instance throughout the course of the later passage, while what is happening in the music in the first place - in the later passage - is a registrational and textural variant of the initial statement?
The stained glass window, lower right, is part of a large panorama on the back wall of St. James the Apostle Church in Carmel, New York. Visit my website - Gallery of Stained Glass Art - at robertfertitta.org.
5 comments:
I agree here - it's so close to being the right shape and correct placement. But indeed, it's like seeing an image of a face in a piece of toast - purely by chance.
In both observations about Franck's choral in E and prelude, fugue and variation you are raising a very important question. Sometimes we tend to have "blind obedience" to the score without understanding the complexities of the compositional process. In the introduction of the edition by Marcel Dupre he states that Franck was so humble that he registered his organ works following the registration of the organ at St. Clothilde because he did not think anyone else besides him and his students would be interested in playing them! I wonder if he let some of these errors go unchecked due to his modesty? (this is a wild assumption by me though..) I was just recently told that Durufle's wife stated a gross error in the registration of Veni Creator (Durand ed). However, recordings of this piece are faithful to the Durand edition's registration.
Justin - you have a way with words. I don't think I ever saw a face on a piece of toast, but clouds are another story. So are reflections in water. Thank you for this gem.
Heitor - that's a wonderful anecdote about Franck and his registrations, as well as about Madame Durufle.
I don't believe Franck would let an error slip by due to his modesty. We must remember that the highest musical standards were in force in France during the last half of the 19th and throughout the 20th centuries. To call the French masters 'fastidious' would be an understatement.
Not to play the blame game, but my first inclination is to assume that a copyist or 'editor' is at fault, rather than the composer.
Bombarde
Yes, thanks for raising this issue. I played it a while ago and felt the same, hence did I omit it - maybe I am a bit of an arrogant performer, but one's ear/brain should be the final judge, not that I change things left right and centre - but hey, sometimes misprints are very obvious
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