A Fugal Concerto

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