César Franck - Pastorale (Op. 19) - Ben Bloor

Pastorale (Op. 19) by César Franck performed by Ben Bloor on the 57 stop 1866 Henry Speechly organ of the St Lawrence's Church, Alton, Hampshire in a live recital on Tuesday 6th December 2022. Cesar Franck celebrates his 200th anniversary on 10th December 2022 and this performance of his 'Pastorale' was given just a few short days before that. Franck only wrote a dozen or so organ works but each is cherished by organists as being pillars of the French Romantic canon. The Pastorale (Op. 19) is bookended by calm, bucolic sections, perhaps depicting a rural landscape. In the middle there is a restless storm, presented with Franck's typically dramatic writing. Ben Bloor is Organist at the London Oratory Church, School Organist at Westminster School and a Junior Fellow at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Twitter - Ben Bloor:   / benjybloor   Facebook - Ben Bloor Organist:   / benbloororganist   Tiktok - @bloorganist:   / bloorganist   Website - https://www.benbloor.com/