Adagio from Symphony No.3, Op.78 - St. Saëns

Here is my own transcription from orchestra to organ of a big excerpt of the Adagio from Symphony No. 3, Opus 78 (the "Organ Symphony") by Charles Camille Saint-Saëns. Here you can hear the beautiful and lush strings of our Casavant pipe organ.

St. Saëns himself said of this symphony, "With it I have given all I could give. What I did I could not achieve again." And, indeed, he never composed another symphony. He had intended to dedicate the piece to Liszt, but the score was published after Liszt's death with the inscription, "Á la Memoire de Franz Liszt."

This is my most favorite orchestral work of any -- by far -- and I never tire of listening to it. Its tender yet powerful sonorities speak to a very deep place within my soul. I was inspired enough by my deep affinity with it to write my transcription of the Adagio nearly 30 years ago, long before I realized that other people had written similar transcriptions. I now have at least a half-dozen other transcriptions in my music library, and many, many recordings of the original symphony.

Somehow, within this music, all the joys, the sorrows, the fears, the triumphs of my life come together and are connected into a glorious, sonic whole. If you will close your eyes, sit back and listen to this music, you will gain a glimpse into my innermost being.

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Postscripts:

1. Isn't that a wonderful stained-glass window! It depicts "Christus Rex," Christ the King returning in full glory. I specifically recorded this particular video in the late afternoon when the sun is streaming through full bore through the window. The organ loft is ablaze with vibrant, glowing color. It's just tremendously beautiful. (However, as you can hear, those beautiful, glorious, HOT sun rays really do a number on the organ's tuning!)

2. In listening to myself play this for the first time, I can hear some things I want to change and fix -- most notably, there are passages where a soaring counter-melody is played on the high orchestral strings. Those passages, which would be fairly easy to incorporate into the transcription, don't really stand out as I now play them. I'm going to get to work on that and, eventually, record a revised version.

3. Originally, I had included the languid duet between Violins and Cellos that occurs in the middle part of the Adagio; but, in the end, decided it really does not work in a transcription setting, especially since the motifs that this passage is based on do not appear in the rest of the adagio but are from the first part of the first movement before the Adagio.

4. Also, there is a bit of a train wreck toward the end but that was due to the frailty of the organist's technique -- it wasn't written that way!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Charles
• Camille
• Saint-Saëns
• organ
• symphony
• casavant
• lutheran
• charles
• richard
• lester
• transcription
• romantic

[theremin137]

As I stated, "Here is my own transcription from orchestra to organ..."

My edition has not been published, but there are published editions of it. Google around, or check with a local university or music library.

[theremin137]

Sorry, but I don't follow you. In the orchestral score, the organ itself only plays a minimal role, particularly in the Adagio section. What you hear here is a combination of the orchestral part with the organ part.

[shakezillahungry]

so beautiful.. but i play tuba and there's a brass setup where i play a D above the staff, i cant explain how much i love this song :3

[jpstenino]

Very, Very nice transcription and performance. Love the registration. Congratulations!!!

[tinymavy]

I am so happy I found this...I have been looking for a recording of this beautiful piece.

[greenspacesforever]

...beautiful

[joeyboi87]

where can I find the music to this? Was it taken from the full score?

[lilianahdz23]

it's too beautiful !!!!!!

[silverstartrucker]

One of the finest pieces of music in the classical library. 5 stars...

[salvatore0222]

Lovely... Ignore the pedantic comments

[eddiemperor]

Amazing!!!! very Expressive.