Cello Concerto no. 1 in A minor, op. 33
Camille Saint-Saëns composed his Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33, in 1872, when he was 37 years old. He wrote this work for the French cellist, viola da gamba player and instrument maker Auguste Tolbecque. Tolbecque was part of a distinguished family of musicians closely associated with the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, France's leading concert society. The concerto was first performed on January 19, 1873, at the Paris Conservatoire concert with Tolbecque as soloist. This was considered a mark of Saint-Saëns' growing acceptance by the French musical establishment.
Movements
- Allegro non troppo
- Allegretto con moto
- Molto allegro
Recommended recordings
- Jacqueline du Pré · New Philharmonia Orchestra · Daniel Barenboim YouTubeSpotify (subscription)
- Yo-Yo Ma YouTubeSpotify (subscription)
Most recent recordings
- Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33/II. Allegretto con moto — Camille Saint-Saëns, Sol Gabetta, Les Siècles (2026) Spotify
- Saint‑Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33: II. Allegretto con moto — Camille Saint-Saëns, Laurent Petitgirard, Orchestre Symphonique Français, Marie-Claude Bantigny (2025) Spotify
- Saint‑Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33: I. Allegro non troppo — Camille Saint-Saëns, Laurent Petitgirard, Orchestre Symphonique Français, Marie-Claude Bantigny (2025) Spotify
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