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Piano Concerto No. 2 (Saint-Saëns)

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Saint-Saëns in 1875

The Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22 by Camille Saint-Saëns was composed in 1868 and is probably Saint-Saëns' most popular piano concerto. It was dedicated to Madame A. de Villers (née de Haber). At the première on 13 May the composer was the soloist and Anton Rubinstein conducted the orchestra.[1] Saint-Saëns wrote the concerto in three weeks and had very little time to prepare for the première; consequently, the piece was not initially successful. The capricious changes in style provoked Zygmunt Stojowski to quip that it "begins with Bach and ends with Offenbach."[2]

Overview

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I. Andante sostenuto
II. Allegro scherzando
III. Presto
Performed by Bogyeong Lee with the University of Iowa Chamber Orchestra under William LaRue Jones
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The piece follows the traditional form of three movements but allows for more freedom in tempo markings. Normally, the first movement is fast-paced, while the second is slower, but the first movement here is slow and the second movement has a scherzo-like quality, resulting in a form resembling a typical four-movement symphony but lacking the first movement (a form also represented by Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata).

The movements in the concerto are:

  1. Andante sostenuto (in G minor and sonata form)
    The concerto begins with a piano solo playing a long improvisational introduction in the style of a Bach fantasia. After the orchestra enters, the restless and melancholy first theme is played, again by the piano solo. Saint-Saëns drew the theme from his student Gabriel Fauré's abandoned Tantum ergo motet. A brief second theme appears, followed by a middle section of increasing degrees of animato. The main theme is recapitulated fortissimo and the soloist is given a long ad libitum cadenza. The Bach-like opening motif returns in the coda.
  2. Allegro scherzando (in E-flat major and sonata form)
    The second movement is in E-flat major and, instead of being a typical adagio, resembles a scherzo. The mercurial piano part is marked leggieramente, and the two main themes are clever and light-hearted. The energetic, delicate personality of this particular movement is characteristic of Saint-Saëns' musical wit, most famously observable in Le Carnaval des Animaux.
  3. Presto (in G minor and sonata form)
    The concerto concludes by returning to G minor. Like the preceding movement, it moves quickly; this time the form is an extremely fast, fiery saltarella, in sonata form, featuring a strong triplet figure. At presto speed, the orchestra and soloist rush tumultuously along, gaining volume and momentum and finishing in a whirlwind of G minor arpeggios.

The concerto is scored for solo piano, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, crash cymbals and strings. A performance lasts around 23 minutes.

Influences

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The concerto, particularly the second movement, heavily influenced fellow French composer Gabriel Pierné's Piano Concerto in C minor of 1887.[3] The composer was also very fond of Chopin's Scherzo n. 4, which may have influenced this movement.

Georges Bizet wrote a transcription of the concerto for solo piano.

The concerto is featured in the 2020 film "Nocturne".

Recordings

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No 2 Premier". Interlude.
  2. ^ Summaries of Saint-Saëns' Piano Concertos Archived 2014-05-28 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Larner, Gerald (2011). Pierné: Piano Concerto, Divertissements sure un Theme Pastoral, Suites from 'Ramuntcho,' Marche des petits solidest de plomb (CD). Chandos Records. p. 5-6.
  4. ^ discogs
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