View source for Piano Concerto No. 1 (Saint-Saëns)

{{Short description|1858 piano concerto by Saint-Saëns}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2024}}
[[File:Saint-saens-01a.jpg|thumb|upright|Saint-Saëns]]
The '''Piano Concerto No. 1''' in [[D major]], [[Opus number|Op.]] 17, by [[Camille Saint-Saëns]] was composed in [[1858 in music|1858]],<ref>{{cite Grove|last1=Fallon |first1=Daniel M. |last2=Harding |first2=James|author2-link=James Harding (music writer)|last3=Ratner |first3=Sabina Teller |title=Saint-Saëns, (Charles) Camille|id=24335|date=2001}}</ref> when the composer was 23 and dedicated to [[Marie Jaëll]].<ref>{{cite Grove|last1=Leuchtmann |first1=Horst|author1-link=Horst Leuchtmann|last2=Timbrell |first2=Charles |title=Jaëll [née Trautmann], Marie|id=14092|date=2013}}</ref> It is the first piano concerto ever written by a major French composer.
== Movements ==
There are three [[movement (music)|movement]]s:
{{Ordered list|type=upper-roman
| Andante – Allegro assai: The piano concerto opens with a [[Richard Wagner|Wagnerian]] horn solo that fades to light strings, a soft piano melody, and more strings before breaking into the main theme of the piece. The horn is prevalent throughout, as are the strings, before concluding in D major.
:[[File:Orchesterwerke Romantik Themen.pdf|300px|page=686]]
| Andante sostenuto quasi adagio: The second movement is very dark and falls slightly short of eerie; low, slow cellos back-dropped by plucking violins lead to a soft and slow piano melody. Meanwhile, the strings play a large part in the piece while the theme from the opening movement continues.
:[[File:Orchesterwerke Romantik Themen.pdf|450px|page=687]]
| Allegro con fuoco: A thunderous finale mixes all of the themes from the horns, the piano and the strings in a uplifting and inspiring and blazing finale, ending in the key of D major.
:[[File:Orchesterwerke Romantik Themen.pdf|450px|page=688]]
}}
== 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 [[Piano Concerto No. 2 (Brahms)|B-flat concerto]] by around 20 years.
== Recordings ==
* [[Jeanne-Marie Darré]], piano, [[Orchestre National de France|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 national du Capitole de Toulouse|Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse]], conducted by [[Michel Plasson]], 2 CD CBS Sony 1976
* [[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
* [[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 Classical Music Awards|''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
==References==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
*{{IMSLP|work=Piano Concerto No.1, Op.17 (Saint-Saëns, Camille)|cname=Piano Concerto No. 1 (Saint-Saëns)}}
{{Camille Saint-Saëns}}
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[[Category:Piano concertos by Camille Saint-Saëns|Piano concerto 1]]
[[Category:1858 compositions]]
[[Category:Compositions in D major]]
[[Category:Music dedicated to ensembles or performers]]
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