For a long time, Camille Saint-Saëns was reluctant to compose a chamber music piece with trumpet for his friend Émile Lemoine and his chamber music association “La Trompette”: “I can happily write you a concerto for twenty-five guitars […] but for trumpet? Impossible.” Finally, he gave in and wrote a Préambule in 1880 and a year later the four further movements of the “Septuor” for trumpet, two violins, viola, violoncello, double bass and piano. With its neo-baroque tonal language, the work enjoyed great popularity during Saint-Saëns’ lifetime, which surprised the composer time and again.

Alongside a full score with an Introduction (Eng/Fr/Ger) and a Critical Commentary (Eng), a set of all seven individual parts is available, including two parts for trumpet in low E-flat (original) and in B-flat. Furthermore, additional string parts are individually available to accommodate performances with two or more string players per part (as customary in Saint-Saëns’ lifetime).