| Symphony No. 1 in E-flat Major | |
|---|---|
| by Camille Saint-Saëns | |
 | |
| Key | E-flat Major |
| Opus | 2 |
| Period | Romantic |
| Genre | Symphony |
| Composed | 1853 (1853) |
| Movements | 4 |
| Scoring | Symphony Orchestra |
| Premiere | |
| Date | December 18, 1853 (1853-12-18) |
| Location | Société de Sainte-Cécile, Paris |
| Conductor | François Seghers |
Symphony No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 2, by Camille Saint-Saëns is a symphonic work composed in June and July of 1853 and premiered in Paris the same year.
Background
The work was composed by an 18 year old Saint-Saëns who initially published it anonymously. The work's scoring for a large orchestra led the premier conductor, François Seghers, to incorrectly speculate that its composer was German. At the work's first rehearsal, Hector Berlioz and Charles Gounod were heard commenting about the composition without realizing that the work's teenage composer sat only feet away.
Several composers have been cited as possible influences on Saint-Saëns. The first movement shows the influence of Schumann, although the development departs from his usual model. The second movement is a march that resembles those of Bizet. The large-scale orchestration is said to resemble that of Beethoven, Berlioz, and Gounod.
Structure
The work consists of four movements:
- Adagio - Allegro
- Marche - Scherzo. Allegro scherzando
- Adagio
- Finale - Allegro maestoso
References
- ^ "Symphony No.1, Op.2 (Saint-Saëns, Camille) - IMSLP". imslp.org. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
- "Symphony No 1 in E flat major, Op 2 (Saint-Saëns) - from CDA68223 - Hyperion Records - MP3 and Lossless downloads". www.hyperion-records.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- "Classical Candor: Saint-Saens: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 (SACD review)". Classical Candor. 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "Symphony No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 2 | Details". AllMusic. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ "Rethinking the Repertoire #1: Camille Saint-Saëns' Symphony in E-flat, op. 2 - The Arts Fuse". artsfuse.org. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
External links
- Symphony No. 1: Score at the International Music Score Library Project
