Violin Concerto No. 1 (Saint-Saëns)

The Violin Concerto No. 1 in A major, Op. 20, by Camille Saint-Saëns is a piece for violin and orchestra written in 1859 and premiered in 1867 in Paris. Despite its numbering, this concerto was Saint-Saëns' second for the violin because it was published first. This was the first in a string of collaborations with virtuoso violinist Pablo Sarasate, who was only 15 years old at the time. This concerto, along with No. 2 and No. 3, would result in a lifelong friendship and collaboration between Saint-Saëns and Sarasate. The work never gained much popularity during Saint-Saëns' lifetime, to his disappointment.