New Selection: Works for Piano and Orchesra by Schumann, Saint-Saens and Franck

Schumann, Franck, Saint-Saens

Works for Piano and Orchestra

Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54

Camille Saint- Saens, (1835-1921) Wedding Cake in A-flat Major, Op. 76 (Caprice-Valse)

Cesar Franck (1822-1890) Variations symphoniques

Jorge Federico Osorio, Piano Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Enrique Batiz, Conductor

In 1839, when Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck were formally engaged, he told her about a work that he planned to dedicate to her. He explained it to her as "something between a symphony, a concerto, and a grand sonata." The work began as a one-movement Konzert-Fantasie, but in this format Schumann could not find a publisher for the work. When he added a slow movement and finale it became the op. 54 Piano Concerto. Schumann dedicated the work "in friendship" to Ferdinand Hiller, a fellow pianist-composer.

Camille Saint- Saens wrote Wedding Cake for the wedding of Caroline Montigny-­Remaury, a piet-fr􀀌end. And Cesar Franck's Variations symphoniques were written _with Louis Diemer, a pianist, in mind, because Franck had come to ad­mire his playing.