Concerto for Piano No. 4 in C minor, Op. 44 Cover Image

Concerto for Piano No. 4 in C minor, Op. 44: Full Orchestra, Solo Keyboard with Ensemble, Conductor Score & Parts

$120.00 USD
$120.00 USD
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Concerto for Piano No. 4 in C minor, Op. 44 Cover Image
Concerto for Piano No. 4 in C minor, Op. 44: Full Orchestra, Solo Keyboard with Ensemble, Conductor Score & Parts

Concerto for Piano No. 4 in C minor, Op. 44: Full Orchestra, Solo Keyboard with Ensemble, Conductor Score & Parts

By Camille Saint-Saëns, ed./arr. by Nancy M. Bradburd

Item: 36-A197202
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Description
In 1875, Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) created an innovative four-part structure for his CONCERTO FOR PIANO NO. 4 IN C MINOR, OP. 44. Dedicating the work to Anton Door, the composer gave the first performance in Paris with the Colonne Orchestra on October 31. The four movements are grouped into pairs, both of which are linked by bridge-like sections. The effect of Classical symmetry is further buttressed by a frequent usage of four-bar and eight-bar phrases and a chorale-like theme in the final movement. Due to its key and structural similarity, the concerto has often been compared to the ORGAN SYMPHONY. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 2.2.3.0: Timp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set): Solo Pno.

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Additional Details
Series: Nieweg Performance Editions - Kalmus
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 659859448855
SKU: 36-A197202
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 2.2.3.0: Timp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set): Solo Pno

More about this title

About the Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) was a French composer, organist, and pianist whose technical mastery and structural innovation shaped Romantic-era orchestral music. A prodigy who studied with major Paris conservatory figures, he became one of the most prolific and influential composers of his time, writing symphonies, concertos, operas, and chamber works that balanced Classical form with Romantic expression. His work as a performer informed his writing for keyboard; he understood the instrument's capabilities intimately and wrote idiomatically across multiple styles.

Saint-Saëns championed new music and French composers throughout his career, serving as organist at the Madeleine in Paris and founding the Société Nationale de Musique to promote contemporary French composition. His legacy rests on his ability to synthesize structure and eloquence, evident in works like the Organ Symphony and this Piano Concerto No. 4, which remain staples of the orchestral repertoire.

Why we love this

Saint-Saëns engineered an unusually elegant architecture here: two movement pairs linked by bridge sections, creating symmetry that sounds natural rather than imposed. The solo keyboard writing is singularly grateful, demanding virtuosity without sacrificing musicality, and the orchestra serves as equal partner rather than accompanist. A concerto of this stature rewards rehearsal investment and showcases both soloist and ensemble.

What to expect

The concerto opens with restless, searching energy in C minor, established by the orchestra before the piano enters with figuration that seems to probe the harmonic landscape. The central movements bring moments of introspection and lyric beauty, while the finale's chorale-like theme anchors the work in grand declaration. Throughout, there is intelligence and formal sophistication in the writing, but never coldness; the orchestration glows with Romantic color even as the architecture stands firm.

Who it's for

This score and parts set serves orchestras and festival ensembles with strong keyboard soloists and the resources to mount a full Classical-Romantic concerto. Conductors seeking a work that demands ensemble discipline and rewards chamber-like transparency will find compelling material here.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the solo keyboard within the full orchestration by ensuring woodwind doublings don't blur the keyboard line; rehearse the dialogue between piano and first violins in the opening material with particular clarity.
  • Shape each bridge section with architectural intention; these connective passages earn their space through pacing and orchestral color, not merely as transitions.
  • Lock the timpani with the string bass in the opening measures to establish the work's harmonic foundation; this anchor matters as the keyboard enters.
  • Communicate the four-bar and eight-bar phrase structure through conductor gestures and sectional rehearsal, especially in the Allegro sections, so players feel the periodicity that gives the work its Classical spine.

How to use it

This concerto pairs naturally with Saint-Saëns' other orchestral works on a concert celebrating French Romantic orchestration and keyboard writing. Its Classical structure and moderate length (roughly 35-40 minutes depending on interpretation) make it suitable for season-opening or season-closing programs where a substantial solo work can anchor the repertoire without overwhelming lighter surrounding pieces.

Skills your students will build

  • Understanding sectional and architectural form: tracking two paired movements and their bridge connectors
  • Balance and transparency in full orchestration with solo keyboard
  • Reading Classical-era phrase structure (four-bar and eight-bar units) and conducting them with clarity
  • Coordinating keyboard articulation and pedaling with orchestral phrasing
  • Managing tempo relationships between bridge sections and main movements

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