# Saint-Saëns, Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33

Bursting cello entrance after a single orchestral chord. Pure athleticism.

## About the excerpt

- **Composer:** Camille Saint-Saëns

- **Work:** Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33

- **Movement:** Allegro non troppo

- **Era:** Romantic (c. 1820–1880)

- **Composed:** 1872

- **Key:** C

- **Metre:** 4/4

- **Tempo:** Allegro non troppo approximately 132 BPM

- **Clef:** Tenor clef

- **Difficulty:** Audition

- **Audition list:** Standard excerpt

## Bowing

Detaché, every note rings. Don't let the descending scale blur.

## Fingering

Plan the scale fingering in advance. Octave shifts must be silent.

## Techniques

concerto, audition, virtuoso

This public reference contains work information and original practice notes. It does not publish the excerpt notation or grant permission to copy a score. Score access and rights depend on the edition and jurisdiction.

## Related excerpts

- [Saint-Saëns: The Swan](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/saintsaens-swan), The most famous solo in the cello repertoire, the swan glides over rippling piano arpeggios. Comfortable; Romantic; Bass clef.
- [Brahms: Symphony No. 2, II, cello opening](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/brahms-2-ii), One of the most beloved cello-section excerpts in the repertoire, a long, singing tenor-clef line that opens the slow movement. Audition; Romantic; Tenor clef. Standard audition excerpt.
- [Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Scherzo](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/mendelssohn-mnd-scherzo), Fairy-light Mendelssohn scherzo passage, the textbook test of clean, even, soft spiccato. Audition; Romantic; Bass clef. Standard audition excerpt.
- [Dvořák: Cello Concerto, I, opening solo](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/dvorak-concerto-i), The most famous cello concerto entrance. A heroic, declamatory tutti gesture answered by tender song. Audition; Romantic; Tenor clef. Standard audition excerpt.
- [Schumann: Cello Concerto, I, opening solo](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/schumann-concerto-i), A noble, melancholy opening. Schumann marked it "not too fast", discipline trumps speed. Audition; Romantic; Tenor clef. Standard audition excerpt.
- [Brahms: Symphony No. 1, II, opening](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/brahms-1-ii), Hushed, expansive opening. The cellos provide the harmonic foundation under the violin theme, total bow control. Advanced; Romantic; Bass clef. Standard audition excerpt.

Canonical source: https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/saintsaens-concerto-1