A unique collection of Saint-Saëns' instrumental sonatas in recent and critically acclaimed Italian recordings.

The perfection of Saint-Saëns' craftsmanship and the Gallic grace of his seemingly inexhaustible melodic muse were evident early in his career, when he was already composing as a child. No less evident was his belief in traditional forms such as the sonata. The works compiled here were written over the course of half a century in which the world and musical culture radically evolved. Saint-Saëns also evolved, but only according to the principles to which he remained faithful throughout his long life and career - tonality and melodic elegance.

In fact, the composer was already 37 years old when he wrote his oldest work, the First Cello Sonata, in 1872. It does not attempt to imitate the crowd-pleasing brilliance or wit of many of his best-known works, but instead charts a sombre, dramatic and often Beethoven-like course through the conventional three-movement set. This set of sonatas helps us to understand how Saint-Saëns had begun to integrate competing imperatives of intensity and elegance by the time of the First Violin Sonata of 1885.

It is curious that the composer's later violin and cello sonatas never achieved the popularity of his first works. In fact, these Brilliant Classics recordings almost occupy a field of their own in the catalog. Yet they are certainly underrated, for Saint-Saëns possessed an almost infinite capacity for reinvention - as he conclusively demonstrated late in his life with three fifths of a planned project to write five sonatas, all for woodwind instruments. The instruments in these three works were scored by the skillful hand of a composer with a lifetime of experience in writing for orchestral and chamber music.

Critical praise for these recordings from Fanfare:
"Tortorelli and Meluso play [the triptych] sensitively; and Tortorelli makes it sound almost lush through the use of many idiomatic expressive devices."

"I was impressed by Favalessa's gentle yet powerful cello sound ... Semeraro masters Saint-Saëns' difficult piano parts with technical assurance and matches the cello's wide range of musical colors. Her precise ensemble is clearly perceptible and probably stems from their many years of collaboration."

"The performances of the Santa Cecilia musicians are flawless." They are all top musicians who play with sophisticated technique and musical finesse.

- Camille Saint-Saëns, a virtuoso pianist and prolific composer, enriched the repertoire of sonatas for solo instruments and piano with works characterized by elegance, technical mastery and lyrical beauty.

- The Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in D minor op. 75 (1885) is an outstanding masterpiece. A masterpiece of Romantic expression, it runs a wide emotional spectrum, from fiery passion to serene introspection. His cello sonatas also combine dramatic intensity with moments of tender lyricism and offer a rich dialog between cello and piano.

- Saint-Saëns' sonatas reflect his deep understanding of both solo instruments and the piano and often demand exceptional technical skill from the performers. Nevertheless, they remain deeply expressive and rooted in the French tradition of clarity and elegance. His oboe sonata, clarinet sonata, flute sonata, bassoon sonata and horn sonata, which he wrote in the last years of his life, display a more restrained, intimate style that emphasizes beauty of sound and conciseness.

- Performed by Mauro Tortorelli (violin), Andrea Favalessa (cello) and the soloists of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia Rome.

• Violinsonaten Nr. 1 & 2; Cellosonaten Nr. 1 & 2; Sonate für Fagott & Klavier op. 168; Sonate für Oboe & Klavier op. 166; Sonate für Klarinette & Klavier op. 167; Adagio aus der Romanze für Horn & Klavier op. 67; Moderato assai aus der Romanze für Flöte & Klavier op. 37; Poco allegro aus der Caprice sur Des Airs Danois et Russes op. 79 für Flöte, Oboe, Klarinette & Klavier; Berceuse op. 38 für Violine & Klavier; Triptyque op. 136