Author of the popular Symphonie espagnole for violin and orchestra, a work which captivates the listener with its melodic charm and great passion, Lalo was a major composer of orchestral and chamber music at a time when French musicians were dominated by an impulse to compose for the theater. His lesser known, but by no means little accomplished, works include the powerfully emotional Cello Concerto in D minor, a work which aptly makes use of the instrument's expressive potential, the ballet Namouna, and this work. It calls for solo violin, piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons + 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones + timpani, percussion & strings.
