Samson and Delilah, Saint-Saëns’s most popular opera, now maintains a secure place in the opera repertory, yet it took some time for it to be appreciated in his native France. In 1867, inspired by Voltaire’s Samson libretto for Rameau, Saint-Saëns thought he might try his hand at an oratorio based on the biblical story. He enlisted the help of Ferdinand Lemaire (husband of a young relative) to write the libretto, but Lemaire convinced him that an opera would be better than an unstaged oratorio. For some reason Saint-Saëns began with Act II, only to abandon the project when it failed to please his friends. Some expressed concern at the idea of dramatizing a biblical subject.
Following the presentation of his third opera in 1872, he began to work on Samson again. Act I was presented in a concert version in Paris in 1875, without much success, but Saint-Saëns kept working, completing the opera in 1876. Liszt took great interest and had it produced in Weimar, Germany, on December 2, 1877, but it was not heard in France until 1890 and not at the Paris Opéra until 1892.
The opera is based on the Old Testament story of Samson who uses his extraordinary strength to rout his enemies the Philistines. They enlist their own Delilah to overcome his strength, the secret of which, she learns, lies in his unshorn hair. Full of hatred for her enemy and knowing he is infatuated with her, she pretends to love him in order to bring about his downfall and wreak her vengeance. Betrayed, shorn, and blinded by the Philistines, Samson is imprisoned in Gaza. The famous scene of the Bacchanale occurs in the Temple of Dagon as the Philistines celebrate their victory.
French operas customarily included ballets, or divertissements, which Saint-Saëns provided with the Bacchanale. He achieved an Eastern flavor by the frequent use of melodic intervals of an augmented second Camille audio selection one and by colorful use of percussion, including timbales, triangle, cymbals, bass drum, wooden castanets, and the exotic metal castanets. Camille audio selection two The frenzied dance music is interrupted at one point by an extremely lush section Camille audio selection three before the orgiastic elements prevail. Camille audio selection four Following the dance Samson is led in to be mocked by the crowd and Delilah reveals the full extent of her treachery. Samson prays for his strength to return. He asks his boy guide to position him between the two pillars that support the building and pulls them down, killing himself and all present.
—©Jane Vial Jaffe
Scored for 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 cornets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, cymbals, bass drum, finger cymbals, castanets, harp, and strings
Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 54
Robert Schumann
Born in Zwickau, Saxony, June 8, 1810; died in Endenich, near Bonn, July 29, 1856
Schumann’s Piano Concerto began its existence in 1841 as a one-movement Phantasie for piano and orchestra in A minor. The composer’s wife Clara, one of the most important piano virtuosos of the nineteenth century, tried it out at a private rehearsal with orchestra at the Leipzig Gewandhaus just two weeks before their first child was born. Satisfied with the piece, Schumann tried to get it published, but firms were just not interested in a one-movement piece for piano and orchestra. Schumann understood that it would be marketable only if he expanded it into a concerto and so in 1845 he added two movements: an Intermezzo and a Finale.
Clara gave the first performance of the completed Concerto from the manuscript, with her husband conducting, in Dresden on December 4, 1845. She played it again in Leipzig on January 1, 1846, with Mendelssohn conducting, and soon thereafter in Prague and Vienna. The highly successful Concerto was soon adopted by other great pianists and became one of Schumann’s most frequently performed works even during his lifetime.
It would be impossible to determine just by hearing the Piano Concerto that the second and third movements were composed four years after the first. Schumann not only tied the movements together stylistically, but also carefully unified them with motivic references. Following the example of Beethoven’s last two piano concertos, Schumann introduces the soloist directly: the Allegro affettuoso begins with a brilliant cascade of chords by the soloist before the oboe enters with the pensive main theme. In both the second and third movements fragmentary links to this theme can be detected.
The first movement loosely adheres to traditional sonata form, but Schumann chose not to include the opening tutti (full ensemble) exposition of a Classic concerto, in keeping with the somewhat reduced role of the orchestra throughout the Concerto. Schumann audio selection one The middle section presents the main theme in the remote key of A-flat major, in a fantasia style befitting the movement’s origins. Schumann audio selection two This lyrical episode is broken off by a turbulent developmental section based on the opening piano cascade, Schumann audio selection three followed by a grand version of the principal theme. The recapitulation, approached by the slowing and quieting of the musical forces, closely follows the plan of the exposition. Schumann wrote out the elaborate solo cadenza, taking care to keep it thematically consistent with the whole. The orchestra rejoins to close the movement with a fast coda. Schumann audio selection four
The relaxed Intermezzo provides a wonderful contrast to the grandeur of the first movement. Schumann audio selection five The piano and strings engage in a dialogue soon joined by the winds; a wonderful highlight later appears in the form of a tender solo for the cellos. Schumann audio selection six Hints of the first movement occur near the end, leading without pause to the last movement.
The joyous main theme of the glorious finale, announced by the piano in A major, is motivically related to the main theme of the first movement but is livelier in character. Schumann audio selection seven The second subject contains the infamous but delightful syncopated rhythm that continues to disarm performers. Schumann audio selection eight An observer at one of Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann’s rehearsals for the Leipzig performance declared that “the passage in the finale with the puzzling rhythms did not go at all!” Schumann develops the themes in the finale elaborately and brilliantly. A long coda propels this irresistibly optimistic movement to its conclusion.Schumann audio selection nine
—©Jane Vial Jaffe
Scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings
Feste romane (Roman Festivals)
Ottorino Respighi
Born in Bologna, July 9, 1879; died in Rome, April 18, 1936
Respighi’s three symphonic poems celebrating the glories of Rome, his adopted city, became his most popular works: Fountains of Rome (1914), Pines of Rome (1924), and Roman Festivals (1928). Each tests the orchestra’s virtuosity with such masterful scoring that it comes as no surprise to learn that he spent several years in St. Petersburg studying with the great orchestrator Rimsky-Korsakov. Respighi’s Roman Festivals calls for an enormous variety of instruments—among the most colorful are tambourine, ratchet, sleigh bells, tam-tam, glockenspiel, two tubular bells, xylophone, two tavolette (wood blocks), piano (two- and four-hands), organ, three buccine (ancient Roman horns or trumpets), and mandolin. Elsa Respighi, the composer’s wife, wrote in 1954:
The dramatic power and scoring in the first part of Roman Festivals has not been surpassed even today and this reminds me of what Respighi told me as soon as the work was finished: “With the present constitution of the orchestra it’s impossible to achieve more, and I don’t think I shall write any more scores of this kind.”
Roman Festivlals was first performed—not in his native Italy, but in the United States—by Arturo Toscanini and the New York Philharmonic Society at Carnegie Hall, February 21, 1929. We quote below the full programmatic narrative that Respighi provided as a preface to the score. Clearly the exuberant first section retains its association with Nero, the subject of his 1926 unfinished symphonic poem Nerone, from which he had drawn some of its musical materials.
“1. Circenses [Circus games]: A threatening sky hangs over the Circus Maximus, but it is the people’s holiday. ‘Ave Nero!’ Respighi audio selection one The iron doors are unlocked, the strains of a religious song and the howling of wild beasts float on the air. Respighi audio selection two The crowd rises in agitation. Unperturbed, the song of the martyrs develops, conquers, and then is lost in the tumult.
“2. The Jubilee: The pilgrims trail along the highway, praying. Respighi audio selection three Finally there appears from the summit of Monte Mario, to ardent eyes and gasping souls, the Holy City: ‘Rome! Rome!’ Respighi audio selection four A hymn of praise bursts forth, the churches ring out their reply. Respighi audio selection five
“3. The October Festival: The October festival in the Roman castelli [castles] covered with vines: hunting echoes, Respighi audio selection six tinkling of bells, Respighi audio selection seven songs of love. Respighi audio selection eight Then in the tender evenfall arises a romantic serenade. Respighi audio selection nine
“4. The Epiphany: The night before Epiphany in the Piazza Navona. A characteristic rhythm of trumpets dominates the frantic clamor. Respighi audio selection ten Above the swelling noise float, from time to time, rustic motives, Respighi audio selection elven saltarello [lively dance] cadences, Respighi audio selection twelve the strains of a barrel organ from a booth, Respighi audio selection thirteen the barker’s call, Respighi fifteen selection fourteen the harsh song of the intoxicated, Respighi audio selection fourteen and the lively stornello [verse] in which is expressed the popular feeling: ‘Lassàtece passà, semo Romani!’ (We are Romans, let us pass!).” Respighi audio selection sixteen
—©Jane Vial Jaffe
Scored for 3 flutes, 3rd doubling piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, E-flat clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, 3 buccine (or extra trumpets), mandolin, timpani, glockenspiel, xylophone, tambourine, snare drum, sleigh bells, tenor drum, triangle, ratchet, tam-tam, cymbals, bass drum, chimes, 2 tavolette (wood blocks), piano two- and four-hands, organ, and strings
