"Super flumina Babylonis" by Camille Saint-Saëns
Info
Christina M. Stahl: Thematic Catalog of Religious Works - IV. Motets and Hymns (2023)
Text transcribed by Super Flumina Babylonis in Gallican pronunciation
A Musicological Detective Story
“There is a motet in the Jean Renoir Media Library in Dieppe—unknown, unpublished—but very interesting,” said Yves Gérard, the renowned Saint-Saëns expert, a few years ago. It was supposed to be just a small motet, nothing grand, nothing elaborate, though apparently scored for saxophones.
It soon became clear, however, that this was not just a single unpublished, unknown motet—Saint-Saëns actually left behind the work *Super flumina Babylonis* in four different versions, three of which are now housed at the Bibliothèque nationale in Paris. What was by no means misleading, however, was Yves Gérard’s assessment: “très intéressant.” Despite extensive research, some of the problems and mysteries surrounding these motets remain unsolved and undeciphered to this day, including, among other things, biographical context and explanations. Saint-Saëns does not appear to have commented on his own work. Nevertheless, it has been possible to produce three editions and establish at least one chain of transmission for the sources.
Probably in 1853, Camille Saint-Saëns took up the position of organist at the Church of St. Merry in Paris’s fourth arrondissement. Even this date cannot be conclusively verified: the records and payrolls in the parish archives (archives historiques de l’église catholique àParis¹) contain significant gaps. It is conceivable that Saint-Saëns wrote this motet—as a sort of debut. In any case, the first version of *Super flumina Babylonis* is dated 1854. Even determining that required some detective work: the first page of the score containing this information has been covered with tape and sewn shut. The year is no longer visible on what is now the first page; it can only be surmised from a tear in the paper. Fortunately, after 86 years, the adhesive that held the old and new “page 1” together has begun to loosen, so that at least along one margin one can see the original version of the first draft: From the very beginning, four saxophones were included alongside strings, organ, soloist, and choir.
Saint-Saëns Meets Adolphe Sax
On March 21, 1846, the Belgian Adolphe Sax (1814–1894) had his saxophones—which he had invented beginning in 1839/1840—patented in France under number 3226. Starting in 1842, Sax—like Saint-Saëns—lived in Paris, where the two certainly met, and where the young composer became acquainted with Sax’s new instruments, whose sound he wanted to incorporate into his works. One such opportunity would have been on May 15, 1853, when they were presented at a concert in Paris’s Jardin d’Hiver.2
In any case, Saint-Saëns must have been so enthusiastic about the new instruments that he immediately incorporated them as a quartet in *Super flumina Babylonis *. This also means that music history must be rewritten, for this motet is thus verifiably the first work for saxophone quartet—and not, as previously assumed, Jean-Baptiste Singelée’s (1812–1875) *Premier Quatuor* , composed three years later. (Although Saint-Saëns tends to use the saxophones more like clarinets.)
However, the young composer does not seem to have had much experience with the new instruments at the time: the manuscript (Version 1) is riddled with deletions, changes, and corrections.After some detective work, the explanation is actually quite simple: Originally, the score called for “Saxophone Ténor enmib”3 and “Saxophone Baryton ensib.”Saint-Saëns had simply made a mistake regarding the fundamental pitch of the transposing instruments; his mother, Clémence Saint-Saëns, née Collin (1809–1888), who had copied out this first composition, had carried over the errors. Saint-Saëns himself made the corrections in the saxophone parts, so there are a few pages where two handwritings can be seen—his own and his mother’s. The composer also made significant corrections in the instrumental parts that were likely used for the premiere. It appears that even after his mother’s transcription, Saint-Saëns revised the ending he had originally notated himself by deleting seven measures (235–241) and adding 34 measures: Originally, he had set the following as the final verses: “Blessed are those who repay you for the deeds you have done for us!” Just as he made the ending conciliatory, he altered the atmosphere of the beginning: He replaced whole notes with phrased chains of eighth notes, which can certainly be interpreted as a wave motif.
What is the story behind the three other versions?
But not all of the nearly 30 overwritten passages can be explained by the correction of proven errors. The vocal parts for the premiere differ significantly from the score in several places.
This can be explained by the fact that there are three additional versions of *Super flumina Babylonis*:
- Version 2, with a relatively large ensemble consisting of 2 flutes / 2 oboes / 2B-flat clarinets / 4 bassoons / 3 trombones / timpani in [D and A] / 1st Violins / 2nd Violins / Violas / Solo / Choir / Organ / Cellos /4 Double Basses
- Version 3: a smaller ensemble with Oboe 1 / Oboe 2 / English Horn / Horns in F 1 and 2 / Bassoons 1st, 2nd / Violins 1st (mi) / Violins 2nd (di) / Violas / Alto Solo / Sopranos / Altos, Tenors / Basses / Cellos /Basses5
- Version 4 for solo, choir, and piano, but with English text: “By the rivers ofBabylon”6
The chronology is derived from the changes in the versions (measures 44ff. and56–587), although measures 44 through 46 in the first version are covered up. Thelower stem8 of the ‘y’ in “Hym-num” is clearly visible beneath the overwriting, suggesting that the melody and text from the major version were originally intended to be read beneath the overwriting and the currently valid reading.
All complete versions can be purchased fromBärenreiter-Verlag10. All—unless additional versions are discovered in the coming years that would need to be incorporated into this network of versions.
© Christina M. Stahl
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