Barcarolle (Saint-Saëns)

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Cover of first edition (1898)

Camille Saint-Saëns's Barcarolle in F major, Op. 108 is a chamber composition for a quartet consisting of violin, cello, harmonium (or organ) and piano. Composed in 1898, the work also exists in a version for violin, cello, viola and piano created by the composer in 1909.[1][2][3]

Background[]

The Barcarolle was Saint-Saëns's second attempt at composing for this combination of instruments, with an 1897 attempt being abandoned after five and a half pages.[2] In 1865 he had composed the Serenade Op. 15 for a similar combination with a viola rather than a cello as the fourth instrument.[4] In the first performance, which took place at the musical society La Trompette on 18 May 1898, the piano was played by Louis Diémer, the violin by  [it], the cello by Jules Delsart, with the composer playing the harmonium.[3][5][6]

The work is dedicated to Antonio Jeanbernat, who initiated two festivals of Saint-Saëns' works in Barcelona.[7]

Structure[]

The composition is structured as a single movement marked Allegretto moderato.[3] Performance time is around 8 to 10 minutes.

References[]

Notes
  1. ^ (Fenech 2009)
  2. ^ a b (Smith 1992, p. 17)
  3. ^ a b c (Smith 1992, p. 311)
  4. ^ (Smith 1992, p. 81)
  5. ^ (Anderson 2013)
  6. ^ (Ratner 2002, p. 208)
  7. ^ (Ratner 2002, p. 207)
Sources
  • Anderson, Keith (2013). Saint-Saëns, C.: Piano Quartet/Piano Quintet/Barcarolle (CD). Naxos Records. 8.572904.
  • Fenech, Gerald (2009). "Review of Saint-Saëns, Piano Quartets, MDG 9431519-6". Classical Net. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  • Smith, Rollin (1992). Saint-Saëns and the Organ. Pendragon Press. ISBN 978-0-945193-14-2.
  • 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. ISBN 978-0-19-816320-6.

External links[]

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