Camille Saint-Saens Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33

. I heard this today and my ears perked up with "like". Esp. the last 1/3 of the piece. So I wrote down what I could and then went to the playlist for Jefferson Radio (classical) and found it.

It's Camille Saint-Saens' Cello Concert 1, Op. 33. The cello was played by Steven Isserlis, with Michael Tilson Thomas of the London Symph. Orchestra conducting. Rec. label Red Seal.

There was this one part that should have been too obvious to be beautiful but it descended like a swooping bird and I thought, I don't know if it's the musician or the music, but that was beautiful. I liked the rest of it too, but took note at this point and then followed more closely to the end, knowing to write it down.

It premiered in 1873

I might find it online later and find the part I noticed. Maybe it wasn't like a bird, I mean, it wasn't what came to mind at the time, but later I thought, it was sort of the soaring point and then rapidly decelerated to come back up again. It was obvious, but still, something seemed masterful about it.

Sort of like a subtle painting in progress and then all of a sudden, a gorgeous stroke of painting goes across the canvas and everything comes out. Comes out of relief? would i say that? don't know. Will have to look it up. Wasn't my favorite ever, but it was nice.

Also, I thought it was interesting bc while listening to it I thought about Wagner.! and then when I looked up the wiki on him, it mentions Wagner.

I'll post links to wiki info on the piece and also for the composer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Saint-Sa%C3%ABns
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cello_Concerto_No._1_(Saint-Sa%C3%ABns)

According to the wiki on the piece, I guess I'm not alone! It's highly regarded by many celloists!

I think God maybe gave me a good ear.

Too bad about my voice, FBI, too bad about my voice. Thanks.

Anyway, this piece was first performed on this very day of Jan. 19th.

At classical site la Phil, Saint-Saens is described as "prophet of Wagner".
http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/piece-detail.cfm?id=475&bc=1

There is more online but I'll just add these links. There is a quote by Camille about soaring though, form and expression, on La Phil. Well, here it is: http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/artist-detail.cfm?id=673

Sort of what I was thinking about his own piece.

What I had started thinking about Wagner while listening to this, was Will Wagler. I thought how he said in jr. high I should listen to Wagner and then I did and it was the heaviest, darkest, moody part that I heard first so I didn't care as much for it then. I do like heavier pieces but not all of them.

I've heard Wagner only a few times so something in my musical sense must have remembered subconsciously and caused me to then think about Wagner while hearing Saint-Saens.

I never had a breakdown of any kind, as a post script and aside, thinking of form and expression. One can express any given highs and lows of expression and still not lose form or break. I think the difference between authenticity and knowing oneself and superficiality and weakness, is having courage to express oneself in all circumstances despite whatever erroneous conclusions detractors make.