Camille Saint-Saëns: Piano Works, Paraphrases and Transcriptions, volume 2

Name: Camille Saint-Saëns: Piano Works, Paraphrases and Transcriptions, volume 2
SKU: 809730123627
Availability: InStock

Price range: £12.49 through £22.49

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Digital Booklet

Label: Divine Art
Catalogue No: DDA 21236
EAN/UPC: 809730123627
Artists: Antony Gray
Composers: Camille Saint-Saëns
Release Date: January 2022
Genres: Piano
Periods: Romantic
Discs: 2
Total Playing Time: 123:15

Saint-Saëns excelled as a composer, conductor, pianist and organist – his composition output is enormous, reaching over 160 titles of which many are substantial – operas, ballets, symphonies – yet today much of his work remains neglected and he is known by a few works only: the Organ Symphony, Samson et Dalila, Danse Macabre and Carnival of the Animals. His original piano pieces are generally light ‘salon’ works but are nonetheless delightful and well formed. His major contribution to the piano works is the equally neglected body of transcriptions (of his own works and those of others) where he was sadly eclipsed by the more outgoing and promotion-minded Franz Liszt. This album and its companion include a number of first recordings, introducing a large body of keyboard gems to a new audience. Volume 2 is divided into two sections: transcriptions from Cantata and Oratorio and original ‘occasional pieces’, transcriptions of two works by Luis de Milan and the Douze Transcriptions (of which there 13!) of works by J. S. Bach.

Antony Gray is a London-based Australian pianist and teacher with numerous acclaimed recordings to his name on ABC and other labels including a 3CD set of Bach transcriptions and a 5-disc set containing the entire piano output of Poulenc. He has premiered many new pieces written for him and has often appeared on radio in the UK and Australia.

Find volume 1 here

Track Listing

Camille Saint-Saëns(1835 – 1921):

Le Déluge, Op. 45 - Prélude (6:57)
Sérénade, Op. 15 (4:29)
Hymne de la fête de pâques (after Berlioz, ‘La Damnation de Faust’)(7:34)
Improvisation (from Album de Gauloises) (2:36)
Chant du soir (after Schumann’s Op. 85 No. 12)(3:02)
Improvisation sur la Beethoven-Cantata de Liszt (16:09)
Bagatelle I (3:29)
Bagatelle II (2:29)
Berceuse, Op. 105 (3:14)
Paraphrase sur Gallia de Gounod (12:34)
Fantaisie en ré majeur écrite par Luis Milan de Valence (3:31)
Fantaisie en sol mineur écrite par Luis Milan de Valence (3:57)

Douze transcriptions pour piano (après J.S. Bach)

No. 1 Ouverture de la 29e cantate, BWV29 (4:03)
No. 2 Adagio de la 3e cantate, BWV3 (5:17)
No. 3 Andantino de la 8e cantata, BWV8 (5:56)
No. 4 Bourrée de la 1e Partita, BWV1002 (3:35)
No. 5 Andante de la 2e sonate de violon, BWV1003 (5:33)
No. 6 Presto de la 35e cantate, BWV35 (3:45)
No. 7 Introduction et Air de la 15e cantate, BWV15 (2:51)
No. 8 Fugue de la 3e sonate de violon, BWV1005 (7:39)
No. 9A Largo de la 3e sonate de violon, BWV1005 (3:23)
No. 9B Récitatif et Air de la 30e cantate, BWV30 (2:20)
No. 10 Gavotte de la 3e Partita, BWV1006 (3:07)
No. 11 Air de la 36e cantate, BWV36 (2:57)
No. 12 Choeur de la 30e cantate, BWV30 (2:37)

Reviews

Musical Opinion

“
The notably-gifted Australian-born pianist Antony Gray continues his valuable traversal of the complete solo piano music of Camille Saint-Saëns. This second set of CDs maintains the high standard of insight, technical command and recording quality. A landmark in solo piano repertoire recording history. A remarkable and valuable achievement, comprehensively recommended.
” —Robert Matthew-Walker

American Record Guide

“
This is an auspicious and impressive beginning to a series devoted to Saint-Saens’s piano music. All [the pieces] are well crafted, and many are technically quite demanding.
” —James Harrington

Infodad

“
Antony Gray tackles Saint-Saëns’ very considerable solo-piano with relish, seeming to delight even in the trifles while giving the more-considerable works the level of seriousness and dedication they deserve. These volumes excel in showcasing a side of Saint-Saëns with which most listeners will be unfamiliar – an element placing Saint-Saëns firmly within the upper echelon of composer/performer virtuosos of his time. An excellent and genuinely important recording.
” —Mark J, Estren

MusicWeb International

“
Gray has opened up a treasure trove of fascinating rarities and little known arrangements that add quite considerably to the relatively modest amount of original piano works from this prolific composer and with his performances of conviction and presence this is well worth the outlay to explore.
” —Rob Challinor

Crescendo

“
We must be grateful to Antony Gray for having designed this eclectic, original and interesting program, insofar as it paints a varied pianistic portrait of the composer covering several musical fields. His interpretation is warm, involved and attentive to the works’ textures. It sheds additional light on this prolific creator and the diversity of his inspiration.”
Sound: 8.5 Booklet: 10 Repertoire: 9 Interpretation: 9
” —Jean Lacroix

International Piano

“
Irresistible music, superbly played. Much of Saint-Saëns’ output is cruelly undervalued, so the musical world owes Antony Gray a debt for reminding us that a cornucopia of delights awaits the listener. Unmissable.
” —Colin Clarke

New Classics

“
A number of first recordings of Saint-Saëns music, introducing a large body of keyboard gems to a new audience. These albums [vols 1 & 2] are a fitting tribute to a composer whose music remains unfashionable, underrated and long overdue for reappraisal.
” —John Pitt