Piano Trio No. 1 (Saint-Saëns)

Trio piano, violin and cello by Camille Saint-Saëns

Piano Trio No. 1

Piano trio by Camille Saint-Saëns
Key| F major
Opus| 18
Composed| October 1864
Dedication| Alfred Lamarche
Published| November 1867 (J. Maho)
Movements|

1. Allegro vivace
2. Andante
3. Scherzo: Presto
4. Allegro

Scoring|

* piano
* violin
* violoncello

Premiere
Date| 20 January 1865 (1865-01-20)
Location| Salle Pleyel, Paris
Performers|

* Camille Saint-Saëns
* Pablo de Sarasate

The Piano Trio No. 1 in F major, Op. 18 is a piano trio by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. Written in 1864 during a trip to the Pyrenees and Auvergne, the trio is dedicated to Alfred Lamarche, a family friend who cared for Saint-Saëns's mother during his absences. The work, scored for piano, violin, and violoncello, was premiered in 1865 at Salle Pleyel in Paris and published in 1867. The trio consists of four movements: Allegro vivace, Andante, Scherzo (Presto), and Allegro.

## History

[edit]

Camille Saint-Saëns composed his Piano Trio No. 1 in F major, Op. 18 in October 1864 during a trip to the Pyrenees and Auvergne.[1] The work is dedicated to Alfred Lamarche, a family friend who cared for Saint-Saëns's mother during the composer's absences.[1] The trio is scored for piano, violin, and violoncello and was published in Paris by Jacques Maho in November 1867.[1]

The première of the Piano Trio No. 1 took place on 20 January 1865 at Salle Pleyel, featuring Saint-Saëns and Pablo de Sarasate.[1] Saint-Saëns himself performed the trio on various occasions, including concerts in St. Petersburg (1876), London (1876), Antwerp (1878), Edinburgh (1904), and Athens (1920).[1]

In his correspondence, Saint-Saëns mentioned playing the trio with notable musicians such as Henryk Wieniawski, Jacques Thibaud, and Louis Hasselmans.[1] He also expressed his satisfaction with the work, describing a performance in Edinburgh as "delightful".[1] The trio was transcribed for piano duet by A. Benfeld in 1885.[1]

## Structure

[edit]

The Piano Trio No. 1 is composed of four movements.

1. Allegro vivace

The first movement, Allegro vivace, begins with a steady three-four rhythm established in the first four bars before the violoncello introduces a light-hearted melody, which is then repeated by the violin and the piano. The piano, after concluding its amplified version of the theme, introduces another theme, "little more than a figure, which undergoes considerable development throughout the movement."[2]
2. Andante     The second movement, Andante, is described as "quite short and charmingly fresh." The piano begins by stating the theme in unisons against a sustained octave A on the violin. The viola then enters, doubling the melody on the piano, while the violin sings the tune accompanied by the piano and viola. A contrasting subject, "a flowing melody given entirely to the strings," is introduced before a brief repetition of the first subject concludes the movement.[2]
3. Scherzo: Presto     The third movement, a scherzo marked Presto, is characterized by its "varied themes and epigrammatic style," with a fragment of the first theme from the Andante appearing inconspicuously. The movement maintains "a condition of suppressed excitement" and features "much brilliant writing, particularly for piano."
4. Allegro     The trio finishes with a final Allegro. Much of this movement is to be played quietly,[3] before the trio concludes emphatically with a molto allegro section.[2]

## Reception

[edit]

Watson Lyle described the trio as expressing "the pure happiness of a care-free mind amid congenial surroundings, rather than the confidence that is born of arrogance, or of the grim determination to succeed."[2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Ratner, Sabina Teller (2002). Camille Saint-Saëns, 1835–1922: A Thematic Catalogue of his Complete Works, Volume 1: The Instrumental Works. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 157–159. ISBN 978-0-19-816320-6.
2. ^ a b c d Lyle, Watson (1923). Camille Saint-Saëns, His Life and Art. K. Paul, Trench, Trubner & Company, Limited. pp. 126–127.
3. ^ Blain, Terry (2016). Gould Piano Trio: Saint-Saëns (PDF). Champs Hill Records.

## External links

[edit]

* Piano Trio No. 1 (Saint-Saëns): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project

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Camille Saint-Saëns

List of compositions

Operas|

* Le timbre d'argent (1865)
* La princesse jaune (1872)
* Samson and Delilah (1877)
* "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix"
* Étienne Marcel (1879)
* Henry VIII (1883)
* Proserpine (1887)
* Ascanio (1890)
* Phryné (1893)
* Frédégonde (1895)
* Les barbares (1901)
* Hélène (1904)
* L'ancêtre (1905)
* Déjanire (1911)

Symphonies|

* Symphony No. 1 (1853)
* Symphony in F major (Urbs Roma) (1856)
* Symphony No. 2 (1859)
* Symphony No. 3 (Organ Symphony) (1886)

Concertos|

| Piano|

* Piano Concerto No. 1 (1858)
* Piano Concerto No. 2 (1868)
* Piano Concerto No. 3 (1869)
* Piano Concerto No. 4 (1875)
* Africa (1891)
* Piano Concerto No. 5 (The Egyptian) (1896)

|

Other|

* Violin Concerto No. 2 (1858)
* Violin Concerto No. 1 (1859)
* Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863)
* Cello Suite (1866)
* Cello Concerto No. 1 (1872)
* Violin Concerto No. 3 (1880)
* Havanaise (1887)
* Cello Concerto No. 2 (1902)
* Organ Concerto (Cyprès et lauriers) (1919)

Orchestra works|

* Le Rouet d'Omphale (1872)
* Danse macabre (1874)
* Suite algérienne (1880)

Chamber music|

* Piano Quartet in E major (1853)
* Piano Quintet (1855/1857)
* Suite for Cello and Piano (1862)
* Piano Trio No. 1 (1864)
* Serenade in E♭ major (1865)
* Romance, Op. 37 (1871)
* Cello Sonata No. 1 (1871)
* Piano Quartet in B♭ major (1875)
* Septet (1881)
* Violin Sonata No. 1 (1885)
* The Carnival of the Animals (1886)
* Le cygne
* Caprice sur des airs danois et russes (1887)
* Piano Trio No. 2 (1891)
* Violin Sonata No. 2 (1896)
* Barcarolle (1897)
* Cello Sonata No. 2 (1905)
* Cavatine (1915)
* Oboe Sonata (1921)
* Clarinet Sonata (1921)
* Bassoon Sonata (1921)

Vocal music|

* Oratorio de Noël (1858)
* Le Déluge (1875)
* Requiem (1878)
* The Promised Land (1913)

Ballet|

* Javotte (1896)

Film score|

* The Assassination of the Duke of Guise (1908)

Related|

* Camille Awards

Category

Portal:

* Classical Music

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