This MDG special edition presents chamber music by two French composers connected by much more than just the teacher-pupil relationship. The first release of their string quartets, Franck’s Piano Quintet, and Chausson’s Piano Quartet by the Belgian Spiegel String Quartet and the pianist Jan Michiels has received an enthusiastic reception from music experts and the listening public alike.

Chamber music did not have an easy time in operaloving France - until Cesar Franck joined forces with like-minded individuals to establish the Societe nationale de musique in 1871. The society’s declared goal was to break the dominance of German chamber music.

Thus, Franck developed a clear style of melodic emphasis with anticipations of the impressionist era. Franck expected that his students would demonstrate a perfect command of form. Chausson adhered to this policy, though it did not keep him from following in Wagner’s harmonic footsteps. The victim of a cycling accident at the age of forty-four, he did not live to complete his only string quartet. Vincent d’Indy finished the work in the spirit of his classmate. Cesar Franck also died early. During the last decade of his life, he celebrated the greatest musical successes. Along with the two works recorded here, this period witnessed the composition of his famous Violin Sonata.

Chausson: Piano Quartet in A major, Op. 30
Chausson: String Quartet in C minor, Op. 35
Franck, C: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 14
Franck, C: String Quartet in D major