Saint-Saëns's centenary in 2021 - 01/02/21 12:23 PM
Let's hope that we pianists celebrate this long-lived but unknown composer this year with all due irreverence. Forget his zoological fantasy, forget even that long-necked bird; in fact, let's also leave his Organ Symphony whose Big Tune was once Top of the Pops, and his concertos (as we can't afford to hire an orchestra to indulge our fantasies).
Unfortunately, he didn't leave us any nice piano sonatas we can sink our collective teeth into (his Op.111 scales the heights of, er, finger busting rather than the heavens), and his once-popular Étude en forme de valse is best left to those who enjoy athletic pursuits.
Instead, beg, borrow or steal a compliant clarinettist, oboist, bassoonist, cellist or violinist, and revel in his wonderful chamber music instead.
This has always been one of my favorite violin sonatas, and I have fond memories of hacking my way through it with a violinist friend in my student days, when the final pages turned into a hilarious madcap scramble..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snpwCZLkAK0
Incidentally, his piano trios, quartet and quintet are also beautiful but rarely played.
Unfortunately, he didn't leave us any nice piano sonatas we can sink our collective teeth into (his Op.111 scales the heights of, er, finger busting rather than the heavens), and his once-popular Étude en forme de valse is best left to those who enjoy athletic pursuits.
Instead, beg, borrow or steal a compliant clarinettist, oboist, bassoonist, cellist or violinist, and revel in his wonderful chamber music instead.
This has always been one of my favorite violin sonatas, and I have fond memories of hacking my way through it with a violinist friend in my student days, when the final pages turned into a hilarious madcap scramble..... https:/
Incidentally, his piano trios, quartet and quintet are also beautiful but rarely played.