Symphony No. 1 (Saint-Saëns)
| Symphony No. 1 in E-flat Major | |
|---|---|
| by Camille Saint-Saëns | |
 | |
| Key | E-flat Major |
| Opus | 2 |
| Period | Romantic |
| Genre | Symphony |
| Composed | 1853 |
| Movements | 4 |
| Scoring | Symphony Orchestra |
| Premiere | |
| Date | December 18, 1853 |
| Location | Société de Sainte-Cécile, Paris |
| Conductor | François Seghers |
Symphony No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 2, by Camille Saint-Saëns is a symphonic work composed in June and July of 1853 and premiered in Paris the same year.[1]
Background
[edit]The work was composed by an 18 year old Saint-Saëns who initially published it anonymously. The work's scoring for a large orchestra led the premier conductor, François Seghers, to incorrectly speculate that its composer was German.[2][3] At the work's first rehearsal, Hector Berlioz and Charles Gounod were heard commenting about the composition without realizing that the work's teenage composer sat only feet away.[4][5]
Several composers have been cited as possible influences on Saint-Saëns. The first movement shows the influence of Schumann, although the development departs from his usual model. The second movement is a march that resembles those of Bizet.[4] The large-scale orchestration is said to resemble that of Beethoven, Berlioz, and Gounod.[5]
Structure
[edit]The work consists of four movements:[1][4]
- Adagio - Allegro
- Marche - Scherzo. Allegro scherzando
- Adagio
- Finale - Allegro maestoso
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Symphony No.1, Op.2 (Saint-Saëns, Camille) - IMSLP". imslp.org. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
- ^ "Symphony No 1 in E flat major, Op 2 (Saint-Saëns) - from CDA68223 - Hyperion Records - MP3 and Lossless downloads". www.hyperion-records.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "Classical Candor: Saint-Saens: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 (SACD review)". Classical Candor. 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ a b c "Symphony No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 2 | Details". AllMusic. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ a b "Rethinking the Repertoire #1: Camille Saint-Saëns' Symphony in E-flat, op. 2 - The Arts Fuse". artsfuse.org. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
External links
[edit]- Symphony No. 1: Score at the International Music Score Library Project
