Camille Saint-Saens

Paris-born Charles Camille Saint-Saëns was a child prodigy, composing his first piece for piano at the age of three. He was a private student of Gounod and entered the Paris Conservatory at age 13. Saint-Saëns had total recall; any book he read or tune he heard was forever committed to his memory.

This rollicking two-step halfway between a march and a polka was originally composed by Camille Saint-Saëns 1n 1890 for piano using four-hands (two people playing the same piano).

"Pas Redoublé" was originally written for four-hand piano. The tempo varies with the proficiency of the performers, as well as the wishes of the composer and the customs of the period. During the mid-nineteenth century, military units in some nations were marching to a cadence of about 90 steps per minute for the slow march (pas ordinaire), 120 for the quick march (pas redoublé), and 160 to 180 for the double-quick march (pas de charge). I chose an Allegro tempo of 120bpm for this transcription and incorporated what I believe are accurate articulations and ornaments within the capabilities of MuseScore.