Violin Concerto No.3 in B minor, Op.61

The second of two such works written by Saint-Saëns for Pablo Sarasate - who gave the first performance in Paris in 1881 - the Concerto in B minor is just the kind of work the Spanish violinist enjoyed. He wouldn’t play Brahms but he was very happy with works like this, abundant in melody, effortlessly clear in construction and furnished with a high-profile solo part. It begins as though it is going to be a rather more severe work than it actually turns out to be. The soloist enters almost immediately with a defiant theme in B minor that in one way or another is to echo through much of the opening movement. In a later entry, however, the violin adopts a more conciliatory attitude and makes its way towards introducing the sweetly lyrical second subject in E major, which brightens the atmosphere more than temporarily.

The change of mood is confirmed by the Andantino quasi allegretto in B flat major. It is based on a charmingly lilting barcarolle melody introduced by the violin and coloured by delicate embroideries on woodwind. Not having awarded the violin a cadenza in either of the first two movements, Saint-Saëns opens the last with a dramatic and elaborate solo recitative with an appropriately Spanish flavour to it. He then indulges his soloist in a succession of melody, including a particularly expressive second subject and finding room for virtuoso display passages as well, until he reduces rhythmic activity to make way for a quiet chorale on muted strings. To prove that this religious thought is more than just a passing whim, in the course of the recapitulation he recalls the chorale fortissimo on trumpets and trombones. The soloist joins the orchestral strings in repeating it and then runs off into a spectacular coda that culminates in a triumphant B major version of the ardent second subject.

When someone asked Pablo Sarasate, the most elegant violinist of his day, whether he would ever play the Brahms Concerto he replied that he couldn’t “stand alone on the platform, violin in hand, while the oboe plays the one melody to be found in the whole work.” While the Spanish violinist didn’t understand Brahms, however, he had no problem with Saint-Saëns, who wrote two of his three Violin Concertos specifically for him - No.1 in A major, Op.20, and No.3 in B minor, Op.60. Neither of them has anything like the specific gravity of the Brahms but they are both abundant in melody presented in attractively transparent textures and effortlessly clear constructions.

The Concerto in B minor begins as though it is going to be a rather more severe work than it actually turns out to be. The soloist enters almost immediately with a defiant theme in B minor that in one way or another is to echo through much of the opening movement. Its most significant phrase is its emphatically bowed first four notes, from which the solo violin develops its extended opening statement and which the orchestra no less emphatically takes hold of as soon as the soloist falls silent. On its return, however, the violin adopts a more conciliatory attitude and makes its way towards introducing the sweetly lyrical second subject in E major. Although the short development section is devoted mainly to the main theme and its first four notes, the atmosphere is already brighter - so much so that the soloist takes the opportunity to recall the amiable second subject rather than the first at the beginning of the recapitulation. The main theme reappears well before the end, of course, but in not quite the same harmonies and in a rather different mood from that which prevailed at the start of the movement.

The change of mood is confirmed by the Andantino quasi allegretto in B flat major. It is based on a charmingly lilting barcarolle melody introduced by the violin and coloured by delicate embroideries on woodwind. There is a change of harmony and of thematic material in the middle section but with no serious effect and, anyway, the barcarolle soon returns, with even more embellishments this time, eventually to take a lingering farewell on a solo oboe amid delicately scored arpeggios combining dark clarinet colours with bright harmonics on the violin.

Not having awarded the violin a cadenza up to this point, Saint-Saëns opens the last movement with a dramatic and elaborate solo recitative with an appropriately Spanish flavour to it. He also indulges his soloist in just the kind of finale Sarasate liked, a succession of melody broken only by virtuoso display passages. So when the tempo changes to Allegro non troppo the violin introduces a lively dance tune in B minor, following it up with a more expressive idea in the same key and, after a little development, an ardent second-subject melody in D major. But then, instead of returning to the dance tune, Saint-Saëns reduces rhythmic activity to make way for a quiet chorale on muted strings. To prove that this religious thought is more than just a passing whim, in the course of the recapitulation he recalls the chorale fortissimo on trumpets and trombones. The soloist joins the orchestral strings in repeating it and then runs off into a spectacular coda that culminates in a triumphant B major version of the ardent second subject.

The Violin Concerto in B minor was written in March 1880 and dedicated to Pablo Sarasate, who gave the first public performance in Paris in January 1881.

When someone asked Pablo Sarasate, the most elegant violinist of his day, whether he would ever consent to play the Brahms Concerto he replied that he couldn’t “stand alone on the platform, violin in hand, while the oboe plays the one melody to be found in the whole work.” While the Spanish violinist didn’t understand Brahms, however, he had no problem with Saint-Saëns, who wrote two of his three Violin Concertos specifically for him - No.1 in A major in 1859 and No.3 in B minor in 1880. Neither of them has anything like the specific gravity of the Brahms but they are both abundant in melody presented in attractively transparent textures and effortlessly clear constructions.

Sarasate was presumably not expecting the new Violin Concerto to begin in the same brightly heroic manner as the one Saint-Saëns had written for the fifteen-year-old Spanish violinist more than twenty years earlier. Taking his now world-famous soloist’s maturity into account, the composer introduces the violinist here as a responsible, serious-minded musician. The first solo entry is based on a severely profiled theme in B minor designed for long-term durability rather than immediate sensation. Its most significant phrase is its emphatically bowed first four notes, from which the solo violin develops its extended opening statement. Saint-Saëns does relent a little, however, on the second main entry of the violin, which is encouraged to makes its way towards introducing the sweetly lyrical second subject in E major. Although the short development section is devoted mainly to the main theme and its first four notes, the atmosphere is already brighter - so much so that the soloist takes the opportunity to recall the amiable second subject rather than the first at the beginning of the recapitulation. The main theme reappears well before the end, of course, but in not quite the same harmonies and in a rather different mood from that which prevailed at the start of the movement.

The change of mood is confirmed by the Andantino quasi allegretto in B flat major. It is based on a charmingly lilting barcarolle melody introduced by the violin and coloured by delicate embroideries on woodwind. There is a change of harmony and of thematic material in the middle section but with no serious effect and, anyway, the barcarolle soon returns, with even more embellishments this time, eventually to take a lingering farewell on a solo oboe amid delicately scored arpeggios combining dark clarinet colours with bright harmonics on the violin.

Not having awarded the violin a cadenza up to this point, Saint-Saëns opens the last movement with a dramatic and elaborate solo recitative with an appropriately Spanish flavour to it. He also indulges his soloist in just the kind of finale Sarasate liked - a succession of melody broken only by virtuoso display passages. So when the tempo changes to Allegro non troppo the violin introduces a lively dance tune in B minor, following it up with a more expressive idea in the same key and, after a little development, an ardent second-subject melody in D major. But then, instead of returning to the dance tune, Saint-Saëns reduces rhythmic activity to make way for a quiet chorale on muted strings. To prove that this religious thought is more than just a passing whim, in the course of the recapitulation he recalls the chorale fortissimo on trumpets and trombones. The soloist joins the orchestral strings in repeating it and then runs off into a spectacular coda that culminates in a triumphant B major version of the ardent second subject.

The Violin Concerto in B minor was written in March 1880 and dedicated to Pable Sarasate, who gave the first public performance in Paris in January 1881.