Thanks a lot! By the way, how do you or anyone like the piece? Is it a good concerto for school concerto competition?
I'm a huge fan of S-S's concertos, particularly the 5th, although I love them all. I do find, however, that they are much more entertaining to listen to then they are to learn/perform. All 5 really require the orchestra to make them complete. The piano parts do not "stand alone" well for practicing or as a 2-piano performance. The majority of the melodies and main themes are carried by the orchestra, while the piano takes on the background phrasing and harmonies (you will find this not as much in his 2nd and 4th concertos as you do in his 1st and 5th).
Using his 5th for a concerto competition will be tricky. The 5th isn't as "catchy" or memorable of a tune to hum as you exit the concert hall as his 4th is. It doesn't "stick" in the audiences' heads as the theme of the Rach 2 does, for example. The 5th is rarely heard in concerts/competitions, while his 2nd and then 4th are his most well known.
For the 5th to be a winner, aside from the standard exceptional playing that I'm sure you will produce, you must have an outstanding pianist on the orchestral part, as their part will be (dare I say) MORE important than yours, especially in the 1st and 2nd movements, while you take a background role of weaving the delicate arpeggios, scales, and intricate accessories. Coordination and interplay between you and your other pianist will be key.
I would suggest getting together with your other pianist over coffee and listening to several recordings of the 5th to get a better feel for the interplay. Sit through it once, focusing on the orchestra; sit through it a second time, focusing on the piano; then listen to it a third time, taking everything in all together. Discuss with your other pianist what he/she feels the 5th conveys: It is reminiscent of Egypt? Of golden barges drifting down the Nile during sunset? Of bustling docks and sailors trading their gold and treasure and spices? Pascal Roge plays a beautiful 5th.
I'm all for playing underdog concertos --- I'm personally tired of everyone playing the Grieg, Rach, Tchaik, Mozart, Mendelssohn... Hopefully the competition judges will be open-minded to the 5th being relatively unfamiliar to their ears and appreciate the extraordinary challenges and beauty that it presents.
Best of luck!
Topic: need score Saint Saens concerto #5