Classical Classroom

Auguste Franchomme. 19th centuryChances are, unless you happen to be a cellist, you’ve probably never heard of Auguste Franchomme. But back in the day, he was one of the most celebrated musicians in Paris, he was besties with Chopin, and he hung out with people like Franz Liszt, Felix Mendelssohn, and the Rothschilds. He was a teenager when he won the Premier Prix at the Paris Conservatoire, and he was solo cellist in King Louis-Philippe’s Musique du Roi. So, why is it that most of his work hasn’t been recorded and is, in fact, out of print? Why do we remember the name “Chopin” and not “Franchomme”? Cellist and Franchomme scholar Louise Dubin, who just put out a CD called The Franchomme Project, discusses this and much more in this episode. All music in this episode from Louise Dubin’s The Franchomme Project. Audio production by Todd “Terr-ee-bleh” Hulslander with eating of palmiere by Dacia Clay and editing by Mark DiClaudio. For more about Louise Dubin: www.louise-dubin.com