Auguste-Joseph Franchomme

Auguste-Joseph Franchomme

Auguste-Joseph Franchomme (born April 10, 1808 in Lille , France , † January 21, 1884 in Paris ) was a French cellist and composer .

Life

Auguste-Joseph Franchomme studied first in his hometown and then at the Paris Conservatory with Jean-Henri Levasseur (1763-1823), where he was able to successfully pass his final examination after just one year. After graduating, he worked as an orchestral musician and soloist. He was also a member of various chamber music ensembles (trios, quartets, etc.). After becoming famous in Paris, he made friends with Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Frédéric Chopin , with whom he gave a concert in 1833. Chopin dedicated his Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 65 , to Franchomme . They also composed a grand duo together: first Chopin the piano part, then Franchomme the cello part, which is correspondingly much more demanding than the cello parts in other works by Chopin; It is thanks to Franchomme that the cello is the second most widely used instrument in Chopin's work, after the piano. After a trip to England in 1856, Franchomme finally settled in Paris.

Work (selection)

• Variations on an original theme for cello and piano in F major op.3
• Variations for cello and piano in G major op.4
• 12 caprices for cello solo op.7
• Romance for cello and piano (or 2 violins / viola / cello / double bass) op.10
• Serenade for cello and piano op.12
• 3 Nocturnes for Cello and Piano Accompaniment, Op. 15 No. 1–3
• 3 nocturnes for 2 cellos op.15 No. 1–3 (alternative version)
• 10 Italian melodies for cello and piano op.17
• Air russe varié op.32 no.2
• 12 studies for cello solo op.35
• Fantasy on a Theme by Handel for cello and piano (or orchestra) op.36
• Fantasy on a Theme by Schubert op.39

Web links

• CV on the website Cello.org (in English)
• Sheet music and audio files by Auguste-Joseph Franchomme in the International Music Score Library Project