Tarentelle, Op. 6 (1857) for flute, clarinet and piano

Tarentella in A minor Op 6 was composed by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) for flute and clarinet, accompanied by orchestra or piano. Saint-Saëns entered the realm of the concerto by dedicating this piece to his two colleagues: flautist Louis Dorus and clarinettist Adolphe Leroy.

 

When the prodigy composed his Tarantelle in A minor Op 6 at the age of 22, he had already completed three symphonies and won the first prize in organ at the Paris Conservatoire as well as the admiration of musicians such as Berlioz, Liszt, and Rossini. In fact, it was Rossini, who helped this Tarentelle win universal acclaim after inviting Saint-Saëns to perform it in his glittering salon.

 

Deriving from the name of the town of Taranto in southern Italy, the tarantella was a couple folk dance characterized by light, quick steps and flirtatious movements between dance partners. It gained popularity as a concert piece in the 19th century for its wild energy, which is manifested in the virtuosic playing of the two wind players.

 

Enticing, ever-changing, the piece offers a wide range of colours, from its playful beginning to its precipitous end, with an expressive central section. The energetic exchanges between the flute and the clarinet especially, shape the playful character of the piece. A simple four-bar motive, stated by the piano in the introduction, serves as a common thread throughout the cheerful piece.