Sonata in A Major for flute and piano FWV 8

César Franck (1822 - 1890) was a Belgian-born composer, organist, and music teacher who spent most of his adult life in Paris and is regarded as one of the most important figures in French music in the latter half of the 19th century. He was a central figure in the revival of instrumental music in France.
Born in Liège, Belgium, Franck displayed prodigious musical talent early on. His demanding father pushed him toward a career as a virtuoso performer. Franck studied at the conservatories in Liège and Paris, winning first prizes in piano and organ. He settled permanently in Paris in 1844, initially focusing on a career as an organist and teacher rather than a composer, to support himself financially.
Franck's career centered around two main pillars: teaching and church music. He was an influential and devout organist, most famously at the newly built Basilica of Sainte-Clotilde in Paris from 1858 until his death. His improvisational skills were legendary, and he was highly respected by the Parisian music community.
In 1872, Franck was appointed Professor of Organ at the prestigious Paris Conservatoire, a position that cemented his influence on a generation of French composers, including Vincent d'Indy, Ernest Chausson, and Henri Duparc. His students affectionately nicknamed him "Père Franck" (Father Franck).
Franck's style is characterized by robust counterpoint, rich and often chromatic harmony, and a strong sense of formal structure, heavily influenced by the German tradition of Beethoven and Wagner. He was a master of cyclic form, a technique where a single musical theme recurs in different movements, unifying the entire work.
Among his most significant works: Symphony in D minor (1888) and Violin Sonata in A Major (1886).