History
Camille Saint-Saëns, like many other French Romantic composers such as Édouard Lalo and Georges Bizet, held a deep interest in the style of Spanish dance music. This style permeates his solo violin works, particularly the Havanaise, op. 83, and the Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso. In 1859, the 15 year old violin prodigy Pablo de Sarasate approached the celebrated composer and commissioned a violin concerto, which the flattered Saint-Saëns proceeded to compose (this piece became Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 1 in A major). Four years later, in 1863, Saint-Saëns wrote yet another solo piece for Sarasate: The Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor for violin and orchestra. Sarasate premiered this piece in Paris on April 4, 1867. Despite their later disagreements, Claude Debussy arranged the piece for two pianos in the earlier years of his career.
Read more about this topic: Introduction And Rondo Capriccioso
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