- 1 - AFRICA CAMILLE SAINT SAËNS success of The Carnival of the Animals, in his CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) (Paris, 1835 – Algiers, 1921) view a “private joke” which was not published in full until after his death (only The Swan saw 1 Africa – Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra Op. 89 [11.08] During a career spanning three-quarters of a the light of day during the composer’s lifetime; Gwendolyn Mok piano century, Saint-Saëns in his youth earned the it can now be heard in a specially-commissioned Parysatis – Airs de ballet admiration of Berlioz, yet he out-lived Debussy. arrangement played by the forty-strong London 2 I. Entréee [0.35] Like so many of the world’s great composers, Cello Orchestra on Cala Signum SIGCD2007). 3 II. No.1 [2.03] Saint-Saëns took to music almost from the 4 III. No.2 [3.26] cradle. By the age of six he was writing songs Saint-Saëns’s own musical credo was summed 5 IV. No.3 [1.52] and piano pieces and at ten he was playing up as follows: “The artist who does not feel 6 La jota aragonese Op. 64 [3.45] Mozart and Beethoven piano concertos in completely satisfied by elegant lines, harmonious 7 Samson and Delilah, Grand Fantasy Op.47 (arr. Luigini) [13.35] public. His prowess on the organ led to an early colours and a beautiful succession of chords does 8 Tarantelle for Flute, Clarinet and Orchestra Op.6 [5.36] appointment at the Church of the Madeleine, not understand the art of music.” Although not Susan Milan flute James Campbell clarinet where he was to occupy the post of organist for all his music reaches the heights of inspiration, Sarabande et Riguadon Op.93 nearly twenty years. As a student he wrote four many of the orchestral works in particular Tina Gruenberg violin symphonies, two of which received performances, are clearly scored by the hand of a master. 9 I. Sarabande [5.35] and in the 1860s he turned to the stage, 0 II. Rigaudon [3.06] although of his thirteen operas only Samson 1 Africa – Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra q Danse macabre Op.40 (song versión) [2.49] and Delilah has held a place in the repertoire. Op. 89 Anthony Roden tenor Gwendolyn Mok piano w Marche militaire française from Suite algérienne Op.60 [4.20] Liszt’s tone-poems inspired Saint-Saëns to e La muse et le poète Op.132 [15.16] produce a number of highly colourful orchestral In addition to his full-scale piano concertos, Stephanie Chase violin Robert Truman cello works of his own—Danse macabre being the Saint-Saëns wrote several other works for r Valse (Finale) from Ascanio [3.55] most popular—and his vast output included piano and orchestra, of which his Africa five piano concertos, in each of which he Fantasy is quite the most delightful. Total timings: [77.46] appeared as a highly successful soloist. He began sketching the music in the winter of LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA He was concerned to maintain the serious side of 1890 while on holiday in the Canary Islands. geoffrey simon conductor his output and would have been horrified at the Here he attempted to ensure complete solitude calasignum.com - 3 - for the task by adopting a false name, but Parysatis – Airs de ballet three exotic dances, was published separately scored, with castanets and tambourines his efforts at warding off the unwelcome 2 I. Entréee from the complete score and uses harps, adding appropriate local colour, and has been attentions of hotel guests and staff were 3 II. No.1 “crotales” (antique finger-cymbals) and striking surprisingly overlooked both in the concert-hall unsuccessful, since their interest became even 4 III. No.2 groupings of winds and strings to produce and on record, where it now makes its debut. more aroused by the curiously solitary behaviour 5 IV. No.3 a sequence of sensual, eastern abandon. of the mysterious, bearded “businessman” 7 Samson and Delilah, Grand Fantasy in their midst. In the event, Saint-Saëns had Parysatis, a play described as “a spectacular 6 La jota aragonese Op.64 Op.47 (arr. Luigini) to move to another hotel in order to escape drama based on the life of the bloodthirsty queen the impertinent inquisitiveness to which he of ancient Persia”, had its first performance The theme of this vivacious, short work will It is something seldom heard nowadays: a was being subject, and was only then able to on 17 August 1902 at the southern French instantly be recognised by anyone familiar with colourful, self-contained “pot-pourri” of tunes continue in peace with his jolly Africa Fantasy. resort of Béziers, not far north of the Spanish the Spanish Overture No.1 by Glinka. In 1844, the from a celebrated opera, arranged for orchestra border. Four years earlier, a rich impresario Russian composer was on a tour of Europe and but without any singers. Such creations were This sonic picture-postcard scherzo, which had acquired an enormous bull-ring there at the urging of Franz Liszt, his champion and extremely popular a hundred years ago: Sir Henry requires a virtuoso’s technique for the and converted it into an amphitheatre, to be admirer, Glinka made a point of visiting Spain Wood’s very first Promenade Concert in 1895 execution of its dazzlingly difficult solo part, the centre of attraction at a regular music in order to study and absorb the folk-music of featured a “Grand Selection” from Carmen, is a brilliant kaleidoscope of rhythms and festival. Although Saint-Saëns had a horror the country. His Spanish Overture is a “Capriccio while “orchestral fantasias” on such operas colours, and features a Tunisian folk-melody of blood-sports, the acoustics of the open-air Brillante” based on the “jota aragonesa” (a as Faust, Cavalleria Rusticana and Il Trovatore which forms the basis of its vivid conclusion. stadium were so good that he was persuaded to traditional Spanish folk-dance depicting rustic were the staples of concert fare at that time. inaugurate the first Béziers Festival with a lyric courtship) which he heard from a guitarist in tragedy entitled Déjanire, based on the life of Valladolid. Not to be outdone, Liszt himself used Here then is a revival of a splendid confection Hercules. The annual festival regularly focused the same melody in his Rhapsodie espagnole— dreamed up by Alexandre Luigini, the composer on his music, and the town itself honoured the one of his many piano works based on the of the Ballet Égyptien—one of those pieces composer with the “Avenue Saint-Saëns”. various “National Airs” of Spain, Italy, Hungary, which everyone knows upon hearing but cannot France, England and so on—and this was later quite put a name to. Luigini was born in France The incidental music to Jane Dieulafoy’s drama arranged for piano and orchestra by Busoni. of Italian origin and while still in his teens Parysatis called for a large orchestra, vocal conducted and composed for several French ballet soloists and a chorus, and was received with Saint-Saëns’s version of this music is actually companies. In 1877, he was appointed conductor tumultuous acclaim. The tuneful “Airs de Ballet”, described as a “transcription” and was published of the Grand Theatre Orchestra at Lyons, and which consists of a brief introduction and in 1881. It is a scintillating number, delightfully in that same year Samson and Delilah received - 4 - - 5 - its first performance under Liszt’s sponsorship It should be noted that owners of ancient On that first occasion, of course, the two follows. This was a French folk-dance of at Weimar, although Paris had to wait until 78s might just have an old Regal recording soloists had a piano accompaniment. This the 17th century, and Saint-Saëns adds the 1891 before hearing what was to become the of this music on which Percy Pitt conducted was duly transformed by the composer woodwinds, brass and timpani for a vivacious most popular of Saint-Saëns’s thirteen operas. the BBC Wireless Orchestra. However, that into the exciting orchestration heard here little piece which has about it something Luigini’s Grand Fantasy encapsulates some of was a heavily abridged performance, tailored that whirls and weaves the two soloists of the quality of Bizet’s Symphony in C. the finest pages of the opera without in any way no doubt for the four-minute sides. This along like a dancing, spinning top. being inhibited by the original sequence of the version is absolutely complete, justifying q Danse macabre Op.40 (song version) plot: it launches straight into the finale where “World Premiere Recording” status! Sarabande et Riguadon Op.93 Anthony Roden tenor Delilah and her fellow-Philistines are making Orchestrated by Maurice Ravel sacrifices in the Temple of Dagon. A brief link 8 Tarantelle for Flute, Clarinet and Tina Gruenberg violin Although Saint-Saëns’s Danse macabre is one leads us into Delilah’s seductive Act 1 aria When Orchestra Op.6 9 I. Sarabande of his most popular orchestral works, he did in Twilight is Falling, played here on the cornet, an Susan Milan flute 0 II. Rigaudon fact write it first as a song for voice and piano instrument that was much in demand for solo James Campbell clarinet in 1873 to a poem by Henri Cazalis. As well as numbers in the popular concerts of Luigini’s day. This “concert pair” of orchestral dances dates expanding it into his celebrated tone-poem, The brass section is retained for the Act 1 Spring Here we find Saint-Saëns in Mendelssohnian from 1892 when the composer was 57.