Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921): Piano Concerto #2 (opening)

Saint-Saëns is a well-known composer. In the nineteenth century he was also well-known as a virtuoso pianist, ranked alongside giants such as Liszt, Clara Schumann, Pugno, Pachmann, Planté, Grieg and Rubinstein. Fortunately, a few performances of his have been preserved on early records. These demonstrate a quite astounding virtuosity in the classic nineteenth century French style (crisp, cultured, refined, charming and without as much rubato as the German school).

Amazingly, even though he was getting quite old by the time he recorded, there is no apparent lack of technique or interpretative quality in the recordings (unlike, for example, and unfortunately, the recordings of his great contemporary Francis Planté).

The recordings of Saint-Saëns are important as Saint-Saëns has the honour of being the oldest pianist to record at all. Sadly he was restricted to mostly salon-style works in his recordings, and he only recorded his own works. What we would give for a little Liszt or Chopin...

This recording is of a slightly adapted opening of Saint-Saëns's own second piano concerto op.22 in G minor. The playing is wonderful.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Camille
• Saint-Saëns
• classical
• piano
• recording
• concerto
• op.22
• no.2

[predoje]

Thank you very much!!! Do you have other muvments?

[d60944]

No, this is all S-S recorded of his own concerto. I have posted a complete performance of the concerto by Arthur de Greef though - who worked with S-S on the concerto.

[DeadJerker]

Good Lord. A YouTube video on which the comments aren't all along the lines of "OMFG LOL you suck yer a fag". Have I stumbled into an alternate universe?

[Tristan9874]

@d60944 Hi, I made noise less version of this recording. I would be happy if you listen.

[ellesmithfagan]

@ellesmithfagan He loved his wife and sons, but both sons died tragically a few months apart in toddler days and he blamed his wife for the falling death of the second son and simply walked away from his wife while they were on a vacation and never came back. They formally separated but never divorced. I think that losing his father to death as an infant deprived him of something in the power for a normal personal life. However, he lived happily, enjoyed friendships and died at 82 I think.

[mobruelle]

great post. What a historical treasure.

[Flextones]

Thanks for posting this. Camille was the last composer/pianist Romantic to record. This is beautiful. I have tried to read through some of his work at the piano. It is difficult and makes me feel like an amatuer.

[hreichgott]

<3 thank you for posting this!

[nleguellec]

Saint Saens really was the last "real" romantic, and the only one ever to be recorded.

[keman25]

This recording shows that the interpretations played today are often completely overdone. The notes come from the heart, and not from the intellect.

[lovesGenet]

I didn't know this existed .Quelle surpris et le son est marveilleuse pour les temps. I wonder if there is more. He must have been adv in age but the spirit ,the joy is there.