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Piano Concerto No. 4 (Saint-Saëns)

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The Piano Concerto No. 4 in C minor, Op. 44 was composed by Camille Saint-Saëns in 1875. It was premièred on October 31, 1875, at the Théâtre du Châtelet of Paris, with the composer as the soloist.{{cite book|title=Les Annales du théâtre et de la musique|volume=First year|publisher=Charpentier et Cie. Libraires-Editeurs, París|year=1875|pages=527–528}} The concerto is dedicated to Anton Door, a professor of piano at the Vienna Conservatory.

Structure

The fourth piano concerto is the composer's most structurally innovative piano concerto. In one sense it is structured like a four-movement symphony, but these are grouped in pairs. That is, the piece is divided into two parts, each of which combines two main movements (I. A moderate-tempo Theme and Variations in C minor; II. A slower, related Theme and Variations in A{{music|flat}} major; III. Scherzo in C minor; IV. Finale in C major). However, in each part there is a bridge-like transitional section, between the two main "movements" – for example, a fugal Andante in part II functions as an interlude between the two main triple-meter sections.

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|Allegro moderato – Andante

:The first movement begins with a gently mischievous chromatic subject, heard in dialogue between the strings and piano soloist, and continues in a creative thematic development similar to Saint-Saëns' third symphony. The composer demonstrates brilliant skill in employing the piano and orchestra almost equally. In the Andante, he introduces a hymn-like theme with the woodwinds (also strikingly similar to the tune of the third symphony's final section), and uses this as a platform on which he builds a series of variations before bringing the movement to a quiet close.

:File:Orchesterwerke Romantik Themen.pdf

|Allegro vivace – Andante – Allegro

:The Allegro vivace begins as a playful and cunning scherzo (although still in C minor), deriving its main theme from the original chromatic subject in the beginning of the first movement. There is a bold switch to 6/8 time, and the piano leads the orchestra into a new brief but energetic theme. Eventually the orchestra moves into a lush Andante, recapitulating the chorale-style melody. Rather suddenly, the piano climbs up to a flurry of double octave trills and a climactic trumpet fanfare, leading to the jubilant finale based once more on the hymn theme played at triple time. The concerto concludes with the piano, in cadenza-like cascades, guiding the orchestra to a fortissimo close.

:File:Orchesterwerke Romantik Themen.pdf

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Instrumentation

The concerto is scored for solo piano, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani and strings.

References

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Recordings

External links

  • {{IMSLP|work=Piano_Concerto_No.4%2C_Op.44_%28Saint-Sa%C3%ABns%2C_Camille%29|cname=Piano Concerto No. 4}}
  • [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327847283 Daniel M. Fallon, "The Genesis of Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 4"]. Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 4 was based on an introduction to an unfinished symphony which the 19-year-old composer wrote and then abandoned. Nearly every bar of the concerto evolves from this draft, providing a rare opportunity to understand Saint-Saëns' compositional craft.

{{Camille Saint-Saëns}}

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Piano concerto 4

Category:1875 compositions

Category:Compositions in C minor