Camille Saint-Saëns, Introduction and Rondo capriccioso

The French romantic composer Camille Saint-Saens, born in Paris in 1835, as well as a child prodigy, was a lucky being. Although he was predicted to endure meager health, he managed to live up to 86 years, an unusual occurrence for the time.
Camille had learned to read at age three. As a true child prodigy, he made his first public presentation at age five and at ten he gave his first piano recital. This, in the field of music, of course. But Camille was a multifaceted guy. In adolescence, he became interested in botany and archeology. Then he became a mathematical expert. Later, as an adult, he became interested in numerous subjects: acoustics, occult sciences, Roman theater and ancient instruments.

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921)

A philosopher, a poet, and an astronomer
He also wrote a philosophical work, where he argued that art and science would replace religion. He was a poet, too. As if all this were not enough, he was a member of the Astronomical Society of France, where he gave some lectures on astronomical mirrors. Then he made for himself a telescope according to its own specifications. His passion for astronomy may have taken him a little far because as a grown-up he used to plan his concerts according to astronomical events, such as the next solar eclipses.

A prolific musician
All these occupations did not prevent him from becoming the author of more than three hundred musical works, including operas, orchestral music, chamber music, concertos for various instruments and orchestra, piano transcriptions from various authors, plus sacred and choral music. Among the music for violin and orchestra, stand out his two Concertos, Havanaise and the Rondó capriccioso.

Introduction and Rondo capriccioso
In 1859, when he was just fifteen years old, another child prodigy, a prodigy of violin, Pablo de Sarasate, had asked Saint-Saëns for the composition of a concerto for that instrument, a request that Camille complied with the publication of his Concerto No. 1 in A minor. Quite pleased with Camille's work, four years later Pablo tried again and asked for another piece for violin and orchestra, if possible in a style evoking the spirit of Spanish dance, a very fashionable trend among French romantics of the time (Edouard Lalo, Georges Bizet, to name but a few). Saint-Saens fully complied with the request and the result is the beautiful piece Introduction and Rondó capriccioso in A minor, premiered by Sarasate in Paris in 1867.

The rendition is by the impetuous Dutch violinist Janine Jansen, accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic, led by Estonian conductor Neeme Jarvi. Surprisingly, the piece begins with the Introduction; in the minute 1:35 it starts to take off to give way to the agile rondo.

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