Piano Concerto No. 1 (Saint-Saëns) Explained

The Piano Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 17, by Camille Saint-Saëns was composed in 1858,^[1] when the composer was 23 and dedicated to Marie Jaëll.^[2] It is the first piano concerto ever written by a major French composer.

Movements

There are three movements:

Instrumentation

The work is scored for solo piano, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and strings. A notable feature is an opening triadic solo for the natural horn which predates the much more famous example of Johannes Brahms's B-flat concerto by around 20 years.

Recordings

• Jeanne-Marie Darré, piano, Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, conducted by Louis Fourestier. 2 CD EMI 1955 1957 report 1996
• Aldo Ciccolini, piano, Orchestre de Paris, conducted by Serge Baudo. 2 CD Emi 1971. Choc de Classica 2019
• Philippe Entremont, piano, Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse, conducted by Michel Plasson, 2 CD CBS Sony 1976
• Jean-Philippe Collard, piano, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by André Previn (2 CD EMI classics 1987).
• Pascal Rogé, piano, Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Charles Dutoit. 2 CD Decca 1981
• Stephen Hough, piano, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sakari Oramo. 2 CD Hyperion 2001. Gramophone Awards Record of the Year 2002. Diapason d'Or, Choc Le Monde la Musique
• Anna Malikova, piano, WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, conducted by Thomas Sanderling. 2 SACD Audite 2010

Notes and References

1. Fallon . Daniel M. . Harding . James. James Harding (music writer). Ratner . Sabina Teller . Saint-Saëns, (Charles) Camille. 24335. 2001.
2. Leuchtmann . Horst. Horst Leuchtmann. Timbrell . Charles . Jaëll [née Trautmann], Marie. 14092. 2013.