Le Deluge, Op. 45: Prelude: String Orchestra Conductor Score

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) composed the French oratorio Le Déluge (The Flood), Op. 45 in 1875. Using a libretto (a "poème biblique") by Louis Gallet, it tells the biblical story of Noah and the flood. In three parts with a Prélude, the full oratorio premiered on March 5, 1876, at the Théâtre du Châtelet under Edouard Colonne. Despite often being included among Saint-Saëns' best works, the oratorio is rarely performed. The Prélude, however, which includes a passage for solo violin, is more often extracted for concert performances. A string count of 8-8-5-5-5 is included in the set.