Saint-Saëns - Romance Op. 67 for Horn (or Cello) and Orchestra (Urtext, Orchestra Score)

In 1866, Saint-Saëns orchestrated the Romance from his Suite, Op. 16, for horn and orchestra, using an ensemble of 3 flutes, 2 bassoons, and strings. The orchestration was based on the original version for cello and piano, though Saint-Saëns made several important changes. The opening cello melody became a tutti passage for flutes and violins, and a few additional bars in the middle of the work depart from the original. There are also places where Saint-Saëns simplifies the bass line or adds a more interesting accompaniment.

The version for horn and orchestra was never published during Saint-Saëns’s lifetime. His interest in the Romance may have been renewed through his contact with the hornist Henri Chaussier, since correspondence from 1882 discusses the work. In 1885, Saint-Saëns published a version for horn and piano with Hamelle as Romance, Op. 67, including an optional cello part to replace the horn if needed. This cello part differs from the original cello part of the Suite, Op. 16. The horn-and-piano arrangement follows the horn-and-orchestra version closely, with the main differences appearing in the piano part, whose voicing and figuration remain somewhat closer to the original Op. 16 version.

This edition presents the orchestral score of the Romance, Op. 67, as part of the larger critical recovery of Saint-Saëns’s cello and orchestra repertoire. The score offers performers and conductors a rare look at Saint-Saëns’s unpublished orchestral treatment of this lyrical work, whether performed with horn or cello as soloist.

This package includes the orchestra score only. The orchestra parts are sold separately: https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/675013-saint-saens-romance-op-67-for-horn-or-cello-and-orchestra-urtext-orchestra-parts

Well suited for conductors, libraries, hornists, cellists, and institutions exploring Saint-Saëns’s lesser-known works with orchestra, this score provides a carefully prepared source for study, rehearsal, and performance of a graceful and historically significant work.

ASTA level: 3