The Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22 by

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (, , 9October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano ...

was composed in 1868 and is probably Saint-Saëns' most popular

piano concerto A piano concerto, a type of concerto, is a solo composition in the classical music genre which is composed for piano accompanied by an orchestra or other large ensemble. Piano concertos are typically virtuosic showpieces which require an advance ...

. It was dedicated to Madame A. de Villers (née de Haber). At the première on 13 May the composer was the soloist and

Anton Rubinstein Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (; ) was a Russian pianist, composer and conductor who founded the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. He was the elder brother of Nikolai Rubinstein, who founded the Moscow Conservatory. As a pianist, Rubinstein ran ...

conducted the orchestra. Saint-Saëns wrote the concerto in three weeks and had very little time to prepare for the première; consequently, the piece was not initially successful. The capricious changes in style provoked Zygmunt Stojowski to quip that it "begins with

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety of instruments and forms, including the or ...

and ends with Offenbach."

Overview

The piece follows the traditional form of three

movements Movement may refer to: Generic uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Movement (sign language), a hand movement when signing * Motion, commonly referred to as movement * Movement (music), a division of a larger c ...

but allows for more freedom in

tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...

markings. Normally, the first movement is fast-paced, while the second is slower, but the first movement here is slow and the second movement has a

scherzo A scherzo (, , ; plural scherzos or scherzi), in western classical music, is a short composition – sometimes a movement from a larger work such as a symphony or a sonata. The precise definition has varied over the years, but scherzo often r ...

-like quality, resulting in a form resembling a typical four-movement symphony but lacking the first movement (a form also represented by Beethoven's ''

Moonlight Sonata The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, marked ''Quasi una fantasia'', Op. 27, No. 2, is a piano sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven, completed in 1801 and dedicated in 1802 to his pupil Countess Julie "Giulietta" Guicciardi. Although known throu ...

''). The movements in the concerto are: The concerto is scored for solo piano, 2

flute The flute is a member of a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, producing sound with a vibrating column of air. Flutes produce sound when the player's air flows across an opening. In th ...

s, 2

oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double-reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common type of oboe, the soprano oboe pitched in C, ...

s, 2

clarinet The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...

s, 2

bassoon The bassoon is a musical instrument in the woodwind family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuosity ...

s, 2

horn Horn may refer to: Common uses * Horn (acoustic), a tapered sound guide ** Horn antenna ** Horn loudspeaker ** Vehicle horn ** Train horn *Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various animals * Horn (instrument), a family ...

s, 2

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion instrument, percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a Membranophone, membrane called a drumhead, ...

crash cymbal A crash cymbal is a type of cymbal that produces a loud, sharp "crash" and is used mainly for occasional accents, as opposed to a ride cymbal. It can be mounted on a stand and played with a drum stick, or by hand in clash cymbals, pairs. One ...

s and

string String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

s. A performance lasts around 23 minutes.

Influences

The concerto, particularly the second movement, heavily influenced fellow French composer

Gabriel Pierné Henri Constant Gabriel Pierné (16 August 1863 – 17 July 1937) was a French composer, conductor, pianist and organist. Biography Gabriel Pierné was born in Metz. His family moved to Paris, after Metz and part of Lorraine were annexed to Germ ...

's Piano Concerto in C minor of 1887. The composer was also very fond of Chopin's Scherzo n. 4, which may have influenced this movement.

Georges Bizet Georges Bizet (; 25 October 18383 June 1875) was a French composer of the Romantic music, Romantic era. Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, ''Carmen'', w ...

wrote a transcription of the concerto for solo piano. The concerto is featured in the 2020 film "

Nocturne A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night. History The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' "of the night") was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...

Recordings

Benno Moiseiwitsch Benno Moiseiwitsch (22 February 18909 April 1963) was a Russian and British pianist. Biography Moiseiwitsch was born to Jewish parents in Odessa, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire, and began his studies at age seven with Dmitry Klimov at t ...

, piano, London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Basil Cameron. 1947, report CD Naxos 2002, *Benno Moiseiwitsch, piano, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Sir Eugene Goossens 1960, report CD Classica (Les introuvables) 2020 (3^e mouvement) *

Moura Lympany Dame Moura Lympany DBE (18 August 191628 March 2005) was an English concert pianist. Biography She was born as Mary Gertrude Johnstone at Saltash, Cornwall. Her father was an army officer who had served in World War I and her mother origina ...

, piano, London Philharmonic, dir.

Jean Martinon Jean Francisque-Étienne Martinon (also known as Jean Martinon (); 10 January 19101 March 1976) was a French conductor and composer. Biography Martinon was born in Lyon, where he began his education, going on to the Conservatoire de Paris to ...

. LP London records 1951 *Arthur Rubinstein, piano, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor

Dimitri Mitropoulos Dimitri Mitropoulos (; – 2 November 1960) was a Greek and American conductor, pianist, and composer. Life and career Mitropoulos was born in Athens, the son of Yannis and Angelikē (Angeliki) Mitropoulos. His father owned a leather goods s ...

(Live 19/04/1953). CD Guild Music 2009 *

Emil Gilels Emil Grigoryevich Gilels (19 October 191614 October 1985, born Samuil) was a Soviet pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of all time. His sister Elizabeth, three years his junior, was a violinist. His daughter Elena ...

, piano, Orchestre de La Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, conductor

André Cluytens Augustin Zulma Alphonse "André" Cluytens (, ; 26 March 19053 June 1967)Baeck E. ''André Cluytens: Itinéraire d’un chef d’orchestre.'' Editions Mardaga, Wavre, 2009. was a Belgian-born French conducting, conductor who was active in the conce ...

. LP Columbia 11/1954, report SACD Praga 2013. Diapason d'or. piano concerto n°4 * Daniel Adni, piano, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir

Charles Groves Sir Charles Barnard Groves CBE (10 March 191520 June 1992) was an English conductor. He was known for the breadth of his repertoire and for encouraging contemporary composers and young conductors. After accompanying positions and conducting ...

. LP EMI 1976 *

Arthur Rubinstein Arthur Rubinstein Order of the British Empire, KBE OMRI (; 28 January 1887 – 20 December 1982) was a Polish Americans, Polish-American pianist.

, piano, Symphony Of The Air, conductor

Alfred Wallenstein Alfred Wallenstein (October 7, 1898 – February 8, 1983) was an American cellist and conductor. A successful solo and orchestral cellist in his early life, Wallenstein took up conducting in the 1930s and served as music director of the Los Ang ...

LP RCA Victor 1958 report CD BMG Classics 1996 * Malcolm Binns, piano, London Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Alexander Gibson. LP World Record Club 1968 *Orazio Frugoni, piano, Pro Musica Symphony Vienna, conductor, Hans Swarosky (with '' concerto n°5''). LP Turnabout/Vox 1976 * Ruth Slenczynska, piano, Symphony of the Air, conductor Henry Swoboda LP Decca 1959 report DG Éloquence 2020. Diapason d'or 2021 *

Grigory Sokolov Grigory Lipmanovich Sokolov (; born 18 April 1950) is a Russian pianist with Spain, Spanish citizenship. He is among the most esteemed of living pianists, his repertoire spanning composers from the Baroque music, Baroque period such as Johann Seba ...

, piano, URSS Symphony Orchestra, conducted by

Neeme Järvi Neeme Järvi (; born 7 June 1937) is an Estonian Americans, Estonian American conductor. Early life Järvi was born in Tallinn. He initially studied music there, and later in Saint Petersburg, Leningrad at the Leningrad Conservatory under Yevge ...

. LP Melodie Angel 1966 *

Gabriel Tacchino Gabriel Tacchino (; 4 August 1934 – 29 January 2023) was a French classical pianist and teacher. Life and career Tacchino was born in Cannes on 4 August 1934. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, Paris Conservatoire from 1947 to 1953, whe ...

, piano, Orchestra Of Radio Luxembourg, conducted by Louis De Froment "Complete Works For Piano And Orchestra" 3 LP Vox 1976 / reprint: CD Brilliant Classics *

Arthur Rubinstein Arthur Rubinstein Order of the British Empire, KBE OMRI (; 28 January 1887 – 20 December 1982) was a Polish Americans, Polish-American pianist.

, piano, The Philadelphia Orchestra, conductor

Eugene Ormandy Eugene Ormandy (born Jenő Blau; November 18, 1899 – March 12, 1985) was a Hungarian-born American conductor and violinist, best known for his association with the Philadelphia Orchestra, as its music director. His 44-year association with ...

. CD RCA Victor 1970 report CD Sony 2013. * François-René Duchable, piano, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, conductor

Alain Lombard Alain Lombard (born 4 October 1940, Paris) is a French conductor. Career Lombard attended the Conservatoire de Paris, where his studied violin with Line Talleul and conducting with Gaston Poulet. He subsequently secured an appointment at the Op� ...

. CD Erato 1982. *

Cécile Ousset Cécile Ousset (born 23 January 1936) is a French pianist. Cécile Ousset was born in Tarbes, France, and gave her first recital at the age of five, subsequently studying at the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 10 with Marcel Ciampi (who had ...

, piano, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conductor

Simon Rattle Sir Simon Denis Rattle (born 19 January 1955) is a British conductor with German citizenship. He rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–1998). Rat ...

. CD Emi 1982 * *

Nelson Freire Nelson José Pinto Freire (; 18 October 19441 November 2021) was a Brazilian classical pianist. Regarded as one of the greatest pianists of his generation, he was noted for his "decorous piano playing" and "interpretive depth". His extensive di ...

, piano, Radio Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, conductor Adam Fisher.Live recording 1986. CD Audite Musikproduktion 2017. * Israel Margalit, piano, London Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor

Bryden Thomson Bryden Thomson (16 July 1928 – 14 November 1991) was a Scottish conductor remembered especially for his championship of British and Scandinavian composers. His recordings include influential surveys of the orchestral music of Hamilton Harty a ...

. CD Chandos 1987 *

Stephen Hough Sir Stephen Andrew Gill Hough (; born 22 November 1961) is a British-Australian classical pianist, composer and writer. Biography Hough was born in Heswall (then in Cheshire) on the Wirral Peninsula, and grew up in Thelwall, where he began pi ...

, piano,

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. It is the resident orchestra at Symphony Hall, Birmingham in Birmingham, which has been its principal performance venue since 1991. Its adminis ...

, conductor

Sakari Oramo Sakari Markus Oramo, (born 26 October 1965) is a Finnish conductor. He is chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Biography and career Born in Helsinki, Oramo is the son of two music academics who taught at the Sibelius Academy, Ilk ...

. 2 CD Hyperion 2000 - 2001. Gramophone Awards record of the year 2002.

Diapason d'or The Diapason d'Or (French for "Golden Tuning Fork") is a recommendation of outstanding (mostly) classical music recordings given by reviewers of '' Diapason'' magazine in France, broadly equivalent to "Editor's Choice", "Disc of the Month" in the ...

, Choc Le Monde la Musique. *Peter Toperczer, piano, Slovac Philharmonic, conductor Zdenek Kosler. CD Naxos 2000 *Nicolaï Petrov, piano, (Georges Bizet's single piano transcript, 1868). CD Olympia 2002 * Franz Vorraber, piano, Anhaltische Philarmonie Dessau, conductor Golo Berg. CD Thoroffon (Bella Musica) 2003 *

Brigitte Engerer Brigitte Engerer (; 27 October 1952 – 23 June 2012) was a French pianist. Biography Born in Tunis, French Tunisia, Engerer started piano lessons at the age of four, and by the age of six was performing in public. When she was 11 her fami ...

, piano, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, conductor Andrea Quin (with concerto n°5). CD Mirare 2008 * Howard Shelley, piano, Orchestra of Opera North, piano and conducting, CD Chandos 2009 *

Benjamin Grosvenor Benjamin Grosvenor (born 8 July 1992) is a British classical pianist. Education Grosvenor was born and brought up in Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Essex. He is the youngest of five brothers. His father is an English and Drama teacher, a ...

, piano, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor

James Judd James Judd (born 30 October 1949) is a British conductor. Early life and education James Judd grew up in Hertford, learning the piano, flute and organ as a child and discovering his talent for conducting at high school. He studied at the Trinity ...

, CD Decca 2012 *Emmanuel Despax, piano, Orpheus Sinfonia, conducted by Thomas Carroll. CD Signum classics 2013 *

Louis Schwizgebel Louis Schwizgebel (born 19 November 1987) is a Swiss pianist. He studied piano with Franz Josefovski and Brigitte Meyer at the Lausanne Conservatory, Pascal Devoyon at Universität der Künste Berlin, Emanuel Ax and Robert McDonald at the Juillia ...

, piano, BBC Symphony Orchestra, conductor

Fabien Gabel Fabien Gabel (born 10 September 1975) is a French conductor. Biography As a youth, Gabel began trumpet studies at age 6. He continued his music education at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, where he won a first prize ...

(with concerto n°5). CD Aparté 2015 * Vadym Kholodenko, piano, Orchestre de la Radio Norvégienne, conductor

Miguel Harth-Bedoya Miguel Alberto Harth-Bedoya Gonzalez (born 1968) is a Peruvian conductor. He was formerly music director of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra from 2000 to 2020 and chief conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra from 2013 to 2020. Starting the Fa ...

. CD Harmonia Mundi 2016. Grand piano tuner and technician: Renee Ingeberg * Andrew von Oeyen, piano, PKF-Prague Philarmonie, conductor Emmanuel Vuillaume. CD Warner Classics 2017 *

Bertrand Chamayou Bertrand Chamayou (born 23 March 1981) is a French pianist. Career Born in Toulouse, Chamayou studied at the Conservatoire de Toulouse under the tutelage of Claudine Willoth, making his first forays into contemporary music and composition. At th ...

, piano, Orchestre National de France, conductor

Emmanuel Krivine Emmanuel Krivine (born 7 May 1947, Grenoble) is a French conductor. Biography The son of a Polish mother and a Russian father, Krivine studied the violin as a youth. He was a winner of the ''Premier Prix'' at the Paris Conservatoire, at age 16. ...

. CD Erato 2019. Gramophone Awards, Choc de Classica. * Nathanaël Gouin, piano, (

's single piano transcript 1868). CD Mirare 2020 * Jeanne-Marie Darré, piano, Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, conductor Louis Fourestier, recorded 1955. Published as CD EMI Music France 1996discogs
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Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Piano Concerto No. 2 (Saint-Saens) Piano concerto 2 1868 compositions Compositions in G minor