Camille Saint-Saens composed his Concerto #3 and he had the advantage of having this works in the remarkable hands of the Spanish virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate. The Concerto #3, written in 1880 and the most often played of the violin concertos, abounds in the elements of technical display and appealing lyricism that audiences understandably love so well.
The first movement evolves around a bold, dramatic first theme, a songful contrasting theme, and fistsful of rapid scales, arpeggios, and double stops. The slow movement, a limpid, barcarolle-like section, exudes an easy, flowing grace; the ending has the unusual timbral color of the solo violin in harmonics combined with clarinet, both playing arpeggio figures.
The finale, built on a broad plan, begins with a recitative-like introduction, which moves on to a main theme for the solo that bristles with energetic, proud bravura. Toward the movement’s end, the themes are greatly intensified and given the grandiose treatment that is an absolutely essential condition for Romantic concertos.
Here is violinist Joshua Bell to play this wonderful music for you:
