The  Allegro Appassionato Op. 43 for cello and orchestra was the first work that Camille Saint-Saëns wrote after marrying Marie Laurie Emilie Truffot on February 3rd, 1875.  Saint-Saëns claimed to compose music as naturally as ‘an apple tree produces apples’. The Allegro Appassionato was composed around the same period as his more famous 4th Piano Concerto, Danse Macabre and String Quartet.  The piece remains very popular amongst cellists these days mainly because of its ‘showy character’ with a lot of rising semi-quavers in the first theme.  Although the piece breathes the romantic atmosphere, it is fast moving and virtuosic. This delectable miniature creates the impression that it could go on forever, and it seems to have a real dynamo of energy in its relatively short time span. There are only very small sections of calm in this exciting work.   It was a favourite of cello legend Jacqueline du Pré.

Difficulty rating 4/6