Saint-Saëns, Camille: Concerto No. 1 in A minor

This single-movement cello concerto has three sections played seamlessly. It was written in 1872, a time when the composer was producing numerous masterpieces, and premiered the following year in January 1873 at the Paris Conservatoire with Auguste Trubecq playing the cello solo. It is an essential piece of repertoire for cellists, and is almost always required for entrance exams for music colleges and competitions. Tsutsumi Tsuyoshi, one of Japan's leading cellists, provides thought-provoking bowing and fingering instructions.