IV. Romance

The fact that Saint-Saëns originally composed this suite for harmonium can be seen as conformity to the fashion of the time; as the instrument tended to be seen as a 'substitute orchestra', it was natural that he prepared, in 1869, an orchestral version. Saint-Saëns made no secret ot the fact that he had been inspired by the old Franch masters (except, perhaps, in the Romance): not only are a sarabande and a gavotte present, but he also uses a canon in the first movement - a rarity at the peak of the Romantic era. It may seem illogical, but the result of this filigree work was a problem-free work characterized by spontaneous charm. Penguin Guide 3 stars.