Saint-Saëns - Allegro appassionato, Op. 43 (PDF Sheet Music / Digital Download)

Camille Saint-Saëns’s Allegro Appassionato in B minor, Op. 43 (scored for cello and piano or orchestra) is a staple of the Romantic cello repertoire, renowned for exploiting the instrument's entire vocal and technical range in under six minutes. Written in 1875 for the French cellist Jules Lasserre, the piece launches immediately into a restless, driving B-minor motif that demands rapid spiccato articulation and swift bow technique. Rather than relying on sheer display, Saint-Saëns balances this opening tension with a central episode in F-sharp major, allowing the cello to sing in its warm, baritone upper register. The work demands rapid shifts between string crossings, rapid scale passages, and expansive cantabile phrasing, making it both a favorite recital opener and a concise masterclass in French Romantic cellistic expression.

This edition is a reissue of music originally published by Augener, Ltd., London.