Piano Concerto No. 4 (Saint-Saëns) Explained

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.^[1] 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 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.

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.

Recordings

• Alfred Cortot, piano, Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, conducted by Charles Munch 1935. Report CD Naxos 2000
• Lélia Gousseau, piano, Orchestre National de la RTF, conducted by André Cluytens (Live 11/12/1956). CD INA 2014
• Jeanne-Marie Darré, Complete piano concertos, Orchestre de la Radiodiffusion française, conductedby Louis Fourestier. Recorded 1955–1957. 2 CD Emi 1996
• Alexander Brailowsky, piano, Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Charles Munch. LP His Master's Voice 1954
• Grant Johannesen, piano, Philarmonia Orchestra, conducted by Georges Tzipine. LP His Master's Voice 1958
• Gabriel Tacchino, piano, Orchestra Of Radio Luxembourg, conducted by Louis De Froment "Complete Works For Piano And Orchestra" 3 LP Vox 1976 / reprint: CD Brilliant Classics
• Robert Casadesus, piano, New York Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Bernstein. 1962. Report CD Sony 1993
• François-René Duchable, piano, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strsbourg, conducted by Alain Lombard (with piano concerto n°2). CD Erato 1982.
• Stephen Hough, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sakari Oramo. CD Hyperion 2001. Gramophone Awards record of the year 2002. Diapason d'or, Choc Le Monde la Musique
• Jean-François Heisser, piano, Les Siècles, conducted by François-Xavier Roth. CD Actes Sud 2010
• Alexandre Kantorow, piano, Tapiola Sinfonietta, conducted by Jean-Jacques Kantorow (with piano concertos n°3 & 5). SACD Bis 2019. Diapason d'or, Choc de Classica

External links

• • 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.

Notes and References

1. Book: Les Annales du théâtre et de la musique. First year. Charpentier et Cie. Libraires-Editeurs, París. 1875. 527–528.