Camille Saint-Saëns: Serenade for Piano, Organ, Violin and Cello, Op. 15[Sérénade, Op. 15 ]

 

Camille Saint-Saëns

 

(9 October 1835 – 16 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Second Piano Concerto (1868), the First Cello Concerto (1872), Danse macabre (1874), the opera Samson and Delilah (1877), the Third Violin Concerto (1880), the Third ("Organ") Symphony (1886) and The Carnival of the Animals (1886).

 

Serenade in E flat major, Op. 15 

 

Camille Saint-Saëns Serenade in E flat major, Op. 15 (French: Sérénade en mi bémol majeur)

is a chamber composition for a quartet consisting of piano, organ, violin, viola (or cello) composed

 in 1865. It is one of the earliest works by the composer making use of an organ (or harmonium) in a chamber ensemble, preceded only by the Six Duos for harmonium and piano, Op. 8.^[1] In addition

to the original scoring the work has been transcribed for orchestra, piano solo, piano four-hands

and for piano quartet, with a cello taking the part of the organ.

 

Background

Composition of the Serenade began in 1865 and was completed by May of that year with publication, dedicated to Princess Mathilde Bonaparte Demidoff who in 1860 had exempted Saint-Saëns from military service, following shortly afterwards.

 

The first performance did not however take place until the following year when it was performed at a soirée held by the Prince of Hohenzollern on the 7th of January 1866. on that occasion the organ was played by the composer, while Julian Sauzay played the piano.^[4] The Serenade was performed twice more in 1866, the third performance being attended by Hector Berlioz, Charles Gounod and Franz Liszt.^[2]

Structure

The composition is structured as a single movement marked Allegretto tranquillo, quasi andantino.^[2] Performance time is around 6 to 7 minutes.

 

 

Dedicated to Princess Mathilde Bonaparte Demidoff

1. Allegretto tranquillo, quasi andantino

A. Arranged for Orchestra by the composer (0:00)

B. Original for quartet consisting of piano, harmonium, violin, viola (or cello) (6:18)

A. Basque National Orchestra conducted by Jun Märkl B. Jean-Claude Bouveresse, violin; Odile Bourin, cello; Christophe Maynard, piano; Philippe Picone, harmonium