Saint-Saens: Romance for Piccolo & Piano by Camille Saint-Saens Piccolo - Digital Sheet Music

Romance Op. 36

In the first place, Camille Saint-Saëns composed Romance, Op. 36 specifically to express Romanticism. For one thing, it is a one-movement composition that he in fact composed in 1874. A point often overlooked: it is a masterpiece of the Romantic repertoire. Various arrangements certainly abound. These above all highlight the solo instrument with piano accompaniment. After all, it is a uniquely expressive recital piece that demonstrates the mastery of the instrument. It is also a showcase for musical phrasing and by all means, tone color as well.

Saint-Saëns Background

Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921) was by all means, in particular, a famous French composer. He was also in like manner a brilliant organist and significant musical mastermind of the Romantic era. Certainly, his most famous compositions, in the long run, include his Piano Concerto No. 2 (1868), Cello Concerto No. 1 (1872), and the Danse macabre (1874). Notwithstanding, we must also add the Violin Concerto No. 3 (1880), Symphony No. 3 ("the Organ Symphony, 1886") and, it must be remembered, Carnival of the Animals (1886) to the list.

Childhood

It is important to realize that Saint-Saëns was certainly, in fact, a child musical prodigy. Consequently, with this in mind he made his concert debut albeit at ten years old. Another key point to remember is that he expressly studied at the Paris Conservatoire, then in spite of reality conversely followed a traditional career path as a church organist. Nevertheless, twenty years later, on the other hand, he left to become a freelance pianist and composer despite, as has been noted, his former employment situation. Furthermore, his performances were after all markedly in demand - not only Europe but above all in the Americas all in all as well.

Youth

A point often overlooked in that in his youth, Saint-Saëns was certainly excited about the modern music of the day. He was in essence fond of the music of his contemporaries, in particular, Schumann, Liszt and for the most part Wagner. In contrast, however, his own compositions seemed in fact largely confined within the conservative classical tradition. Be that as it may, he was at the same time nevertheless, in fact, a scholar of musical history.

Criticism

On the whole, his conservatism in fact ultimately brought him into frequent conflict in his later years with composers of the impressionist and in particular the dodecaphonic schools of musical thought.  A point often overlooked is that contrary to some critics, he included neoclassical elements in his music. Furthermore, in so doing he provided the most compelling evidence that he predicted the techniques and works by Stravinsky and Les Six. To put it another way, given these points, he was regarded, perhaps for the most part unfairly so, as a non-progressive reactionary henceforth around the time of his passing.

Legacy

To sum up, Saint-Saëns taught for a short time in Paris, where his students included namely Gabriel Fauré. To clarify, Maurice Ravel later studied with Fauré. In conclusion, both Ravel and Fauré were powerfully influenced by Saint-Saëns, whom they respected as a musical mastermind.