Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos Nos 2, 5 & Piano Works
9/7/2018, 13 Tracks, 1:17:51
Gramophone Award Winner 2019
Featuring
Emmanuel Krivine
Bertrand Chamayou
Orchestre National de France
Camille Saint-Saëns
Did you know?
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Composer Biography
Saint-Saëns was not only an extraordinary pianist but also considered 'the greatest among organists' by Franz Liszt.
Critical Reception
Despite his reputation as a 'dry, cold, academic composer' in his native France, Saint-Saëns was admired by Franz Liszt and acknowledged as a role model by Maurice Ravel.
Compositional Technique
The Piano Concerto No.5, known as 'The Egyptian,' features an authentic Nubian melody Saint-Saëns heard on the Nile, surrounded by an Oriental-Hispano-Chinese musical mosaic.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Saint-Saëns was an admirer of old masters and a detractor of Claude Debussy, favoring meticulous craftsmanship, symmetrical forms, and established rules.
Composer Biography
Camille Saint-Saëns, the composer, was born in Paris and died in Algiers, undertaking a "triangular journey" between these two locations.
Composition History
The Piano Concerto No.2 was composed in just 15 days for a premiere by Saint-Saëns's friend, the Russian pianist Anton Rubinstein, at Salle Pleyel.
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