Piano Concerto No. 2 (Saint-Saëns)

At the première on 13 May the composer was the soloist and Anton Rubinstein conducted the orchestra.

[1] Saint-Saëns wrote the concerto in three weeks and had very little time to prepare for the première; consequently, the piece was not initially successful.

The capricious changes in style provoked Zygmunt Stojowski to quip that it "begins with Bach and ends with Offenbach.

"[2] The piece follows the traditional form of three movements but allows for more freedom in tempo markings.

Georges Bizet wrote a transcription of the concerto for solo piano.