Saint-Saëns: Romance for flute and harp Debussy: Chansons de BilitisSaint-Saëns: Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 75Today we will be listening to three pieces written for soprano instruments in the late 19th century by two French composers – Camille Saint-Saëns and Claude Debussy. Saint-Saëns’ Romance for the flute, with its elegant and soaring melodic lines, is the perfect showcase for this quintessential soprano woodwind. “Chansons de Bilitis,” written for high voice and piano, is a set of three poems that tell a mythic tale of lust, betrayal, and abandonment. The last piece, Saëns’ Violin Sonata in D minor, is written for the highest member of the string family. In this fiery sonata, the atmosphere is dark and brooding, interspersed with moments of beauty and playfulness. These three pieces demonstrate that soprano instruments not only embody refinement and beauty, but they can manifest a passion and ferocity that reflect the richness of human emotions.