Has there ever existed a milder, more humble man who was also a great composer than César Franck? His ambitions were simple: to serve music and God with equal ­reverence. Name a famous Belgian! Well, ...

To mark the 200th anniversary of Franck's birth, Donald Macleod spends the week delving a bit deeper into this enigmatic and complex character and his music.

Rouvali and Philharmonia were attentive to colour, but Perianes again failed to achieve any sense of mystery or sensuousness.