en treize morceaux pour piano-Thirteen Pieces for Piano by Camille Saint-Saens including some of his most popular and renowned works including Danse Macabre and the Swan from Carnival of The Animals

Performer: Benjamin Berlioz, Boston Pops Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, et al. Orchestra: Multi-Artistes Chef d'orchestre: Adrian Leaper, Arthur Fiedler, Carl Davis, Charles Gerhardt, Charles Munch, et al. Compositeur: Alexander Borodin, Alfredo Catalani, Antonin Dvorak, Antonio Vivaldi, Camille Saint-Saens, et al. CD (13 septembre 2010) Nombre de disques: 4 Format : Coffret Label: Sony Classical

Piano Concerto No. 4 In C Minor (concerto pour Piano en ut mineur) Op. 44 by Camille Saint-Saëns is the composer's most structurally innovative Piano concerto. In one sense it is like a four-movement symphony but these are grouped in pairs. That is the piece is divided into two parts each of which combines two main movements (Part 1: I. Moderatetempo Theme and Variations in C Minor; II. Slower Theme and Variations in A-flat Major; Part 2: III. Scherzo in C Minor; IV. Finale in C Major). However in each part there is a bridge-like transitional section between the two main 'movements' for example a fugal Andante in part II functions as aninterlude between the two main sections. The concerto begins with a gently mischievous chromatic subject heard in dialogue between the strings and piano soloist and continues in a creative thematic development similar to Saint-Saëns' Third Symphony. The composer demonstrates brilliant skill in employing the piano and orchestra almost equally. In the Andante he moves to A-flat major with a chorale-like theme in the woodwinds (also strikingly similar to the tune of the Third Symphony's final section) and uses this as a platform on which to build a series of variations before bringing the movement to a quiet close. The Allegro vivace begins again in C minor as a high-spirited scherzo using material foreshadowed in the first movement. 2/4 and 6/8 are playfully juxtaposed throughout. At one point the Piano boldly leads the orchestra in an energetic 6/8 theme in Eflat major. Eventually the orchestra moves to a lush Andante recapitulating the Andante section from the first movement. Rather suddenly the piano climbs up to a flurry of double octave trills and a climactic trumpet fanfare leads to the jubilant finale based on a hymn-like theme in triple time. The concerto concludes with the piano in glittering cascades guiding the orchestra to a fortissimo close.The piano concerto was premièred in 1875 with the

In 1860 Camille Saint-Saëns composed his Oratorio de Noël for five vocal soloists mixed choir strings organ and harp. The work sung in Latin is based on texts from the Old and New Testaments the Psalms and Gospels as well as the Catholic Christmas liturgy. A distinctive chamber music-like instrumentation with lyrical soloistic parts and a modest choral part combine to create a basic pastoral mood which has led this Christmas Oratorio to become one of the most performed works by Saint-Saëns. Carus offers this work both in its original version and in an arrangement in which the choir is accompanied solely by an organ.