Review
The Introduction and Rondo capriccioso, Op. 28 (1863), is one of Saint-Saëns' few genuine showpieces. It was composed for his friend, the virtuoso violinist
Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908), for whom he had already written the Violin Concerto in A major, Op. 28 (1859), and for whom he would eventually create the Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61 (1880). Whereas the Op. 28 Violin Concerto was written when the violinist was only 15 years of age, the Introduction and Rondo capriccioso is deliberately challenging -- a testimony to the mature master's technique. Sarasate's frequent programming of the work did a great deal for its popularity in the years after its publication (1870); its appeal was wide enough, in fact, that both George Bizet and
Claude Debussy made arrangements of it -- the former for violin and piano, and the latter for piano, four hands.
As one would expect from the title, the Introduction and Rondo capriccioso begins with a slow section, marked Andante malinconico and characterized by a plaintive falling leap and rising arpeggio. Becoming gradually more animated, the introduction culminates in a scintillating mini-cadenza that leads into the Rondo proper (Allegro ma non troppo). When the violin enters, it states a theme that has a Spanish flavor, stemming from syncopation and chromatic inflections. The melody spins out into wild arpeggios and gigantic leaps before the orchestra begins a bridge to the contrasting theme, marked con morbidezza. This lyric melody is especially entrancing because it is in 2/4 time, played simultaneously with the continuing 6/8 time of the orchestra. The Rondo theme returns quietly in the solo violin before an orchestral outburst that is a reprise of the earlier bridge passage. The oboe takes the final statement of the rondo theme, which becomes fragmented and developed until the beginning of the brilliant coda, which is mainly a showcase for Sarasate's technical ability. ~ All Music Guide
Albums with Complete Performances of the Work
A Life In Music: Isaac Stern, Volume 8 1995
A Life in Music, Vols. 8-15
A Portrait of Mischa Elman 2009
Aaron Rosand Plays... 1995
Aaron Rosand in Norway
An Evening With The Hollywood Bowl
Artist Portrait: Maxim Vengerov 2002
Beethoven, Saint-Saëns, Schubert: Works for Violin and Piano 2002
Beethoven: Concerto for violin in D; Sibelius: Concerto Op47
Best Menuhin 100 2009
Best Of Saint-Saëns 1987
Bizet-Sarasate: Carmen Fantaisie; Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen: Saint-Saëns: Havanaise; etc.
Bohemian Rhapsodies 1997
Brahms: Sonate; Bach: Partita; Ben-Haim: Sonata; Ravel: Tzigane; Saint-Saëns: Introduction ed Rondo capriccioso 2008
Bruch: Concerto for violin in Gm; Saint-Saens: Introduction and Rondo capriccioso in Am
Camille Saint-Saens: Introductions & Rondo capriccioso; Havanaise; Ernest Chausson: Poème; Ravel: Tzigane
Camille Saint-Saëns: Violin Sonatas 1994
Capriccioso: Under the Blue Skies 2007
Celebration: Life With Music 1985
Chausson; Saint-Saens; Ravel; Debussy; Suk
Classic Top 100: Vol.2
Classical Top 1000 [Box Set]
Concert in Versailles [DVD Video]
David Oistrach Performs Chausson, Saint-Saens, Leclair, Ysaye & Locatelli 2007
Debussy: Arrangements for 2 Pianos 1993
Decca Recordings, 1950-1960 (Limited Edition) [Box Set] 2003
Ernest Chausson: Symphony; Poeme; Camille Saint-Saëns: Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso 1991
Essential Violin 2003
Evelyn Glennie: Rhythm Song 1990
Francescatti plays Violin Concertos by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, etc.
Franz Schubert, Pablo de Sarasate, Camille Saint-Saëns
French Showpieces (Concert français)
Great Concertos - Great Artists, Vol. 1: Violin
Great Violinists: Heifetz 2000
Greatest Hits 1993
Heifetz Collection, Volume 4 1994
Heifetz Performs Wieniawski, Vieuxtemps, Saint-Saëns & Sarasate
Heifetz Plays Bach, Brahms, Saint-Saëns and Others 1996
Heifetz Showpieces
Heifetz Showpieces 1994
Henri Temianka: The Parlophone Recordings, 1935-1939 1992
Historic Philips Recordings, 1953-1962 [Box Set] 2003
Hora Staccato & Other Favourites 2005
In Classical Mood: String Serenade 1998
Institut De France (1795-1995), Académie Royale De Musique (1669-1793): Les Musiciens
Itzhak Perlman with Zubin Mehta & the New York Philharmonic 1987
Ivry Gitlis [DVD Video] 2007
Jacques Thibaud in Concert 2004
Jacques Thibaud: Inédits 1953
Janine Jansen 2003
Jascha Heifetz
Jascha Heifetz Fireworks
Jascha Heifetz Live, Vol. 5 2003
Jascha Heifetz Plays Bach, Wieniawski/Saint-Saëns
Jascha Heifetz Plays French Masterpieces 1990
Jascha Heifetz: The Master Violinist 2008
Khachaturian/Saint-Saëns 1992
La Scuola Russa, Libro 1
Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole; Saint-Saëns: Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso; Chausson: Poème pour Violin; Ravel: Tzigane 1995
Lalo: Symphonie espagnole; Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3; Chausson: Poème 2005
Le Boeuf sur le toit: French Works for Violin & Orchestra 2001
Leonid Kogan Edition Vol. 2
Leonid Kogan Edition [Box Set]
Maestro 1994
Magical Strings 1999
Masters of the Bow 2002
Menuhin in Moscow 1996
Michael Colgrass: Urban Requiem 2008
Michael Rabin Collection, Vol. 2: Violin Concertos
Michael Rabin, 1936-1972 [Box Set] 1991
Michael Rabin, 1936-1972 [Box Set] 1991
Mischa Elman: The Solo Victor Recordings (1910-24) Vol.2 (1913-17)
Mischa Elman: Victor Recordings, 1910-1911 1990
Mozart, Saint-Saëns, Beethoven
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg Plays Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens and Massenet 1988
No Limit 2000
Oleg Kagan Edition Vol. 13 1997
Paganini: Concerto No. 1 In D 1994
Paganini: Concerto for violin in D
Poème 1991
Poème [Hybrid SACD] 2004
Ricardo Odnoposoff, Vol. 1 2006
Romantic Classics: Relaxing Classics 2006
Romantic Violin 2001
Romantic Violin Miniature
Ruggiero Ricci 1996
Saint-Saens, Chausson, Sarasate and others
Saint-Saens, Paganini and Waxman 1992
Saint-Saens, Ravel and Chausson
Saint-Saens: Carnaval des animaux, zoological fantasy No1-14 1998
Saint-Saens: Carnaval des animaux, zoological fantasy No1-14; Symphony No3 1997
Saint-Saens: Introduction and Rondo capriccioso in Am; Concertos for violin in Bm
Saint-Saens: Introduction and Rondo capriccioso in Am; Danse macabre Op40 1991
Saint-Saens: Violin Concertos 1 & 3 1998
Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals; Allegro appassionato; Violin Concerto No. 3
Saint-Saëns: Concertos 1992
Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre; Phaéton; "Organ" Symphony; etc. 2004
Saint-Saëns: Greatest Hits 1995
Saint-Saëns: Introduction and Rondo capriccioso; Havanaise; Violin Concerto No. 3 1996
Saint-Saëns: Music for violin & orchestra 1987
Saint-Saëns: Symphonies; Piano Concertos; Violin Concertos [Box set]
Saint-Saëns: Symphonies; Piano Concertos; Violin Concertos, Disc 4
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3; Piano Concerto No. 4; Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso 1993
Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3; Introduction and Rondo capriccioso; Caprice andalous; Morceau de concert 1994
Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3; Prelude to 'Le Déluge'; Fauré: Berceuse; Lalo: Symphonie espagnole (Intermezzo) 2003
Saint-Saëns: Works For Violin, Cello 1993
Saint-Saëns; Sarasate; Ravel; Kabalevsky 1988
Selections from The Heifetz Collection 1994
Sheherazade: An Oriental Night with the Berliner Philharmoniker [DVD Video] 2006
Sibelius/Saint-Saens: Violin Concerto/Introduction And Rondo Capriccioso 1988
Svendsen/Saint-Saëns/Dvorak/Beethoven/Bloch: Music For Violin
Sweet Sorrow 1999
Tamara Volskaya 1997
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Dvorak: Concerto for violin in Am 1999
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto; Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto 2001
The Art Of Steven Staryk 1995
The Art of Steven Staryk 2006
The Artistry of the Marimba 1994
The Best Of Saint-Saëns 1994
The Best of Maxim Vengerov [Box Set] 2006
The Best of Mischa Elman 2006
The Best of Saint-Saëns 1997
The Cala Series: Orchestral Masterworks (Box Set) 1995
The Cala Series: Orchestral Masterworks, Vol. 4 1998
The Earliest Concerto Recordings, Vol. 2 1995
The Early Recordings, Violin and Viola
The Essential Saint-Saens 1995
The French Album 2003
The Great French Classics 1997
The Great Violinists, Vol. 22 2005
The Great Violinists, Vol. 23 2007
The Isaac Stern Collection: The Early Concerto Recordings, Vol. 2 1990
The Lark Ascending: Violin Showpieces 1997
The Magic Violin 1994
The Magic of the Violin
The Magic of the Violin
The Perlman Edition (Box Set) 2004
The Piano as Orchestra 2006
The Poetic Violin of Nai-Yuan Hu
The Violinist [Box Set] 2003
The Virtuoso Recital Album 1994
Ultimate Violin Classics: The Essential Masterpieces [Box Set] 2007
Violin Classics 1996
Violin Concertos 1993
Violin Encores 1994
Violin Favourites 1994
Violin For Dummies 1997
Violin Greatest Hits
Violin Showpieces 1992
Violin for Anne Rice 1997
Violin, Trumpet, Guitar, Flute: Greatest Hits 1995
Violin: Greatest Hits 1994
Violon Passion 2003
Violon pour les jours de fête
Virtuoso Violin 1989
Wieniawski, Paganini: Violin Concertos; Saint-Saëns: Introduction & Rondo capriccioso
Young Berlin Classics
Young Berlin Classics
Zino Francescatti plays Favourite Violin Pieces 2007
Albums with Excerpt Performances of the Work
