Saint-Saëns, lover of the cello. Written when he was only 27 years old, the Suite for cello remained one of Saint-Saëns’s favourite children all his life. Ten years later, in 1872, he discovered a new passion for the instrument, which led to the monumental First Sonata. ‘Nowhere else, perhaps, was his notion of pain and struggle so grimly projected’, to quote E. Baumann. The legendary ‘Swan’ from The Carnival of the Animals and other works for cello and piano complete this programme.
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS [1835-1921] Sonate n°1 pour violoncelle et piano en ut mineur / C minor / c-moll op.32 · I. Allegro (9'21) · II. Andante tranquillo sostenuto (5'47) · III. Allegro moderato (6'44) · Prière op.158. Andante (4'11) · Romance op.36 (transcription C.S.S. de la Romance pour cor et piano). Moderato (2'52) · Gavotte op.16 n°3 bis. Allegro non troppo (2'57) · Tarentelle op.10 n°5. Presto (3'53) Suite pour violoncelle et piano op.16 · I. Prélude (3'08) · II. Sérénade (3'43) · III. Scherzo (4'47) · IV. Romance (8'17) · V. Finale (6'12) · Romance op.51. Andantino con moto (3'28) · Le Cygne du Carnaval des animaux (version originale pour deux pianos et violoncelle). Andantino grazioso (3'14)
