Saint-Saens Violin: Concerto No. 3

Abstract

The present study discusses the Violin Concerto No. 3, in B minor, op. 61, by Camille Saint-Saëns, focusing on the first and second movements. The purpose is to help performers in their understanding of the concerto by providing context and an analysis of the composer’s musical style. Saint-Saëns was a prolific French composer, pianist, organist, and writer with a unique understanding of music. After the Franco-Prussian War in the 1870s, a movement to revive the tradition of national music emerged. In 1871, Saint-Saëns and his friends established the Société Nationale de Musique in Paris with the aim of introducing new French classical work and promoting the revival of the nation through art. One such piece was Saint-Saens’ own Third Violin Concerto. As well as providing the historical and cultural context to his composition, the present study examines the musical structure of the work and appropriate playing styles. The study of the literature and the analysis of the genealogical examples revealed that the structure of the work is classical in style and the tone is romantic.