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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
An Analysis of the Saint-Saens Concerto in G Minor. Which Was Recently
Used at the Concert Given by the Aeolian Co., at Which the Weber Duo-Art
Grand Was Featured, Accompanied by the New York Symphony Orchestra
A few weeks ago the astonishing sight of a
grand piano standing on the concert platform
surrounded by a great symphony orchestra, and
playing, without the visible intervention of a
human pianist, the solo part in a piano con-
certo, filled with astonishment a distinguished
audience of musicians; and together with a repe-
tition of the experience, a few days later, under
different auspices, but with equally amazing
results, marked an epoch in the development of
musical instruments. So much interest has been
developed in the two concerts mentioned, and
so much attention has been given to the music
played on these occasions that the writer seizes
the opportunity, or the excuse, to say something
about the concertos thus astonishingly rendered;
hoping that thereby some music lover, or lovers,
may be induced to try their hands at them by
means of the ordinary player-piano.
At the Aeolian concert the work presented
was the famous piano concerto in G minor by
Camille Saint-Saens, as interpreted by Harold
Bauer. The American Piano Co.'s concert pro-
vided the piano concerto in A minor by Edvard
Hagerup Grieg, as interpreted by Marguerite
Volavy.
A Great Frenchman
Camille Saint-Saens is probably the best
known of contemporary French musicians and
composers, partly, no doubt, because of his very
lengthy career and partly also because his music
appeals to such a wide circle of music lovers.
He is, like all Frenchmen, endowed with a
mentality crystal-clear, with a style of expres-
sion at once elegant and simple, with a true
gift for melody. Above all, he has the power
of appealing to the French love for clear beauty
and simplicity of outline. He is not profound;
but at the same time he is never vulgar. He
does not twist himself into labyrinthine coils of
deep mystery, and pose as the prophet of new
and unspeakable meanings. In a word he is not
that queer thing, the modern obscure minor
composer. He does not try to make up for a
lack of melodic instinct by pretending that he
is a modern Bach, or for his failure to grasp
the rules of harmony by the announcement that
he has a message too deep to be expressed in
conventional forms. Saint-Saens is not a Reger,
or a Schoenberg. He knows not a syllable of
the Staatsmacht gospel, and bows not himself
in the house of Kultur-Rimmon.
He is a
witty, elegant, intelligent, clear-thinking French-
man; which is merely another way of saying
that he is typical of his nation as it has always
been and always, we hope, will be. He is like-
wise a finished artist, who can play the piano
beautifully and whose mind was early formed
along lines of true but not "advanced" musical
culture.
It is not surprising, therefore, that the music
of Saint-Saens should have found early a warm
welcome amongst those who love the melodious,
and at the same time are sufficiently conserva-
tive to realize that classic form is neither obso-
lete nor capable of being improved out of exist-
ence. Saint-Saens, combining devotion to clas-
sic form with Gallic refinement and grace, rep-
resents therefore a phase of modern music
much to be admired and much cherished.
A Veteran
The veteran composer is now in his eighty-
third year, but the concerto of which we have
to speak was composed in his younger days.
It has always been regarded as one of the best
concert works for the piano, and is a favorite
with those who play such things. In discussing
it, we shall consider the ordinary player roll
arrangement containing both solo and accom-
panying parts.
Andante Maestoso
The concerto includes three movements, of
which the second is perhaps the most attrac-
tive, although all are delectable.
The first
movement opens with an introduction of the
solo instrument, consisting of some graceful
passages up and down the keyboard in broken
chords. This leads to a short melody which
foreshadows the principal theme. After a lit-
tle working over, there is a pause, and the or-
chestra sounds two crashing chords with a roll
of kettle-drums. Another pause, and a descend-
ing chord passage leads to the first theme, a
•graceful flowing melody in four-four rhythm.
This is worked out in both solo and accompani-
ment parts and leads into the soft and lightly
elegant second theme, which is also worked out
charmingly. There follows a section in which
the two themes are subjected to some elegant
and gracious working-out, till the first reappears
once more, after the same preparation in the
shape of chords with drum-roll. A cadenza or
show-passage follows for the solo instrument
and the movement is brought to a close with
a coda or closing-section built on the material
of the first theme.
Allegretto Scherzando
Charming as the first movement is, and its
charm is known to all who have played it, the
second is even better, speaking merely from the
listener's standpoint. It is marked Allegretto
Scherzando, indicating a Scherzo-like piece in
moderate speed, but the designation is hardly
adequate. It is indeed a Scherzo, and a very
merry one at that. It opens very lightly with
a sort of merry whirligig in triple time, which
must be played as lightly, softly and clearly as
possible, avoiding blurring through excessive
use of the sustaining pedal. This runs on at
high speed merrily up and down, in a sort of
jolly gallop until it pulls up short in the midst
of its fun and sobers down. But only for a
moment. The swing begins again, bumpety-
bump lightly in the bass, and leads out into a
most charming little air, also in three-four time,
and of irresistibly "dancy"' rhythm. It is not
a merry gallop so much as a stfrt of two-step,
very girlish and charming. The melody itself
forms what would be called, no doubt, the trio
in a formal Scherzo. The first part returns, is
repeated and the movement ends like a merry
child gradually ceasing its romp and coming
silently to rest.
Finale
The finale of the concerto reminds one of a
tripping country dance, like one of those Span-
ish village steps, danced to the accompaniment
of castanets and guitar. It is extremely attrac-
tive and interesting, working out in rapidly re-
peated staccato notes and requiring clearness
and certainty in the execution. The player-
piano will give the technique mechanically,
without any help, but to get the sharp little ac-
cents demands some practice.
The second theme, if it may be called so, is
merely a succession of thrills up and down the
keyboard, which seems to form part of the dance
and in no wise interrupts the spirit in which
the movement has begun.
It comes in and
goes out several times during the movement,
alternating with the first theme; and the two
together keep up their good-humored race until
the movement approaches its end.
This ending is extremely brilliant. A coda is
begun, built on the first theme, modified in
rhythm.
Little by little it works up into a
wonderful quick passage for the solo with ac-
companying passages in the second part, which
mounts to heights of brilliancy almost unsur-
passed, although it never descends, for a mo-
ment even, to mere noise. In a short time the
climax approaches, the speed and brilliancy in-
crease and the end comes magnificently.
Interpretation
All in all this concerto is not only very inter-
esting and very attractive, but it is one of the
best studies a player-pianist can have.
The
first movement is just sufficiently formal to re-
quire real care in its handling. The themes
must be carefully distinguished from each other
and the first one especially gives most excel-
lent opportunities for phrasing. The opening
passage, too, can be handled very nicely with
the player-piano, if one is careful to work out
its phrasing according to one's best judgment.
The second movement is so delightful that
it is hard to see the necessity of giving much
advice about it. One can hardly imagine a
person being unable to find in this charming
piece some ideas that he will desire to work out
in his own way. Besides, it is not only charm-
ing but simple; so simple that there is not the
excuse that one cannot understand it. If one
does not understand this piece, it is because one
does not want to understand it. The best ad-
vice that can be given is not to play it too fast
and not to play it too loudly. The temptation
is to run it off at top speed, and this is quite
natural, for the thing almost plays itself. In
the same way it is hard to hold the tone-volume
down sufficiently when one is playing with some
speed and liveliness. Yet to hammer this out
is to kill it altogether.
The same remark as to playing too fast ap-
plies to the brilliant finale. Here, if one plays
somewhat faster than march time, the result
will be all that could be desired. If the tempo
is unduly hastened at the beginning, it will have
to be slowed down when the trills in the second
theme begin to sound out. Then the accent-
ing of this theme requires care. If the roll
arrangement is good, the accents in part will
take care of themselves, but to make the theme
sound as effective as it is meant to sound, it
should be carefully emphasized at the accent
points, which, however, are so obvious that they
will suggest themselves. The brilliant closing
passage, too, which is long and beautiful, should
not be hurried. The temptation again is to do
so, for it lends itself to a rush and a swing.
Towards the end the tempo may be hastened,
but until the last sounding of the brilliant clos-
ing passage there should be no effect of hurry.
The speed is high but it is measured.
The roll catalogs of the Universal Music Co.,
Wilcox & White Co., Aeolian Co. and Q R S Co.
all contain this concerto, the first three having
it in full, and the last including the two first
movements only. Likewise, Harold Bauer's in-
terpretation has also appeared in Aeolian lists
for the Duo-Art piano, with, of course, the en-
tire score arranged in, just as in the ordinary
rolls. To those who would like to hear how a
great artist interprets this work, or who feel
lack of confidence in their own skill, the Bauer
records are recommended.
Next month we hope to have the pleasure of
talking about the composer and the work which
were featured at the Knabe Ampico-Volavy
demonstration; namely, Edvard Grieg and his
piano concerto in A minor.