César Franck (1822-1890) - photo 1
César Franck (1822-1890) - photo 2
César Franck (1822-1890) - photo 3

César Franck (1822-1890)

Lot 39
11.12.2024 14:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 5 670
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1349712
Lot 39 | César Franck (1822-1890)
Estimate value
£ 4 000 – 6 000
César Franck (1822-1890)
Autograph manuscript signed ('C. Franck', at the end of each work), 'Deux Mélodies', two works for piano, [c.1846]
Notated in six systems of two staves, 13 pages, 335 x 255mm, stitched into a modern album, vellum-backed boards. Provenance: presented by the composer to his future wife, Félicité Desmousseaux (1825-1918: according to Julien Tiersot); Sotheby's, 22 November 1989, lot 90 (unsold).

Two early and apparently unpublished works for piano, composed for his fiancée. The 'Two Melodies' comprise an Andantino of 107 bars in D flat major and a 'Poco Lento' of 62 bars in E major. The manuscript was inspected by Julien Tiersot, who described it as follows (in 'Les oeuvres inédites de César Franck', La Revue Musicale, December 1922, 97-123): 'Without doubt belonging to the same period are the Two Melodies for piano, "À Félicité", of which the autograph manuscript, very finely written, signed "C. Franck" at the end of each piece, is the only survival: it is evidently a discreet present offered by the composer to his fiancée, Félicité Desmousseaux, whom he married in February 1848. Their style is excellent, clearly superior to the majority of the piano pieces published by the composer in the preceding years and which are generally pure specimens of virtuosity' (translation). The dedication 'À Félicité' is now missing and may have been on a wrapper. Not recorded in W. Mohr's Thematische Werkverzeichnis.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
11.12.2024 – 11.12.2024
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.