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Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos 1-5; Wedding Cake Caprice; Africa etc. (The Romantic Piano Concerto 27)

7/28/2023, 18 Tracks, 2:35:23

Featuring

  • Sakari Oramo
  • Stephen Hough
  • City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
  • Camille Saint-Saëns

Did you know?

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Performer Biography

Stephen Hough has won numerous international prizes for his recordings, including the Diapason d'Or, Deutscher Schallplattenpreis, Classic CD, and Gramophone Awards.

Source: Booklet

Historical Context

In 1871, Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Massenet, and Duparc co-founded the Société Nationale de Musique to promote serious musical works by French composers, especially after France's defeat by Prussia.

Source: Booklet

Composer Biography

Camille Saint-Saëns was widely recognized as the greatest organist of his day and highly valued his skill at improvisation.

Source: Booklet

Performer Biography

Sakari Oramo, an accomplished violinist, became the Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 1998, later becoming Music Director.

Source: Booklet

Composer's Artistic Vision

Saint-Saëns believed that art is primarily about form, elegance, harmonious colors, and beautiful harmonic progressions, rather than expression and passion.

Source: Booklet

Composer Biography

Saint-Saëns enjoyed traveling to warmer locations like Algeria, the Canary Islands, and Egypt, and his love for Spain was enhanced by his friendship with virtuoso violinist Pablo Sarasate.

Source: Booklet

Compositional Technique

Saint-Saëns's piano concertos treat the piano and orchestra as equals, and he found the challenge of achieving this balance appealing.

Source: Booklet

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Saint-Saëns: Works for Piano & Orchestra
Dvorák: Piano Concerto / Schumann: Introduction & Allegro Appassionato
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos 1-5
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4; Paganini's Rhapsody
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 4 & Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Rachmaninoff & Prokofiev: Piano Works (Live)
The Great Piano Concerti
Weber: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Polacca Brillante
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