Saint-Saëns: Super flumina Babylonis
Expected to ship in about a week.
- Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
- Piano reduction: Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
- Instrumentation (this edition): Piano Reduction, SATB Choir
- Originally for: Organ, SATB Choir, Soprano, Saxophone Quartet, Strings
- Work: Psalm 136: Super flumina Babylonis (By the Rivers of Babylon) (1854)
- Work Language: Latin
- ISMN:
- Size: 7.5 x 10.6 inches
- Pages: 18
- Urtext / Critical Edition
Description
Psalm 137 "Super flumina Babylonis" also known as "By the rivers of Babylon" was an inspiration for many composers including Camille Saint-Saëns. He repeatedly occupied himself with his psalm motet for solo soprano, mixed choir, saxophone quartet, string orchestra and organ, originally composed in 1854. Two of the four versions – the first version in Latin and a much later version in English for alto solo, SATB choir and piano – are now available for the first time in Urtext performing editions taking a meticulous account of all the sources.
Saint-Saëns lived up to his reputation as an innovative composer by exploring the use of the saxophone family in sacred music just a few years after the invention of these instruments. The successful combination of voice and saxophone creates a special sound experience.