You want a famous Belgian? I'll give you a famous Belgian, one who hasn't had even a look-in in the news beside Mr van R these past couple of days: Cesar Franck, the one and only, the creator of what's probably the world's most gorgeous romantic violin sonata, to say nothing of that wonderful symphony that nobody ever seems to programme any more. (Time to bring it back, please...) In short, Franck was the best thing ever to come out of Belgium without being made of chocolate.
Here are Christian Ferras and Pierre Barbizet in the last movement of that sonata.
(Tomorrow: a cellist takes to podcasting, but where's the cello?)
Jessica Duchen is a music journalist and the author of four novels, two biographies and several stage works. She writes regularly for The Independent and BBC Music Magazine. Her latest novel, Songs of Triumphant Love, is published by Hodder.
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