César Franck- Prélude, Fugue, et Variation, Opus 18 (arr. Ophee)

Colin Davin and Adam Brown perform César Franck’s Prélude, Fugue, et Variation, Op. 18 (arranged by Matanya Ophee), recorded live in Los Angeles. Composed between 1860 and 1862, this work is widely regarded as one of Franck’s most refined and enduring compositions. Originally written for the Cavaillé-Coll organ at the Basilica of Saint Clotilde in Paris, it was published in 1868 as part of his Six Pièces pour Grand Orgue. The piece is dedicated to Franck’s friend and fellow organist Camille Saint-Saëns; while not intended as a musical portrait, it reflects the clarity, balance, and elegance associated with Saint-Saëns’s artistic aesthetic. Franck’s deep study of J.S. Bach is evident throughout the work, particularly in its contrapuntal writing and structural coherence. The composition unfolds in three continuous sections—Prélude (Lento), Fugue, and Variation—linked seamlessly to form a unified musical arc. In this arrangement for guitar duo by Matanya Ophee, the piece is reimagined with a distinctive sense of intimacy and tonal nuance, highlighting the expressive capabilities and interplay of the two instruments. #césarfranck #opus18