On Saint-Saëns's Fantaisie « Afrique »

While not a mistranslation, the title Africa Fantasy is highly misleading. This is because the original spelling of the title is 'Africa', not the French 'Fantaisie « Afrique »' or 'Fantaisie Africaine'. Today, when we hear 'Africa,' we tend to imagine the entire African continent. Typical images might include caravans of camels traversing desert landscapes, or safari parks where one observes wild animals roaming grasslands. Therefore, it becomes clear that this concept is far too vague for a short work lasting just over ten minutes.

Those familiar with French history would recognize the North African region (Maghreb) that France colonized. Furthermore, those well-versed in Saint-Saëns would note his frequent travels to this region and that his Suite Algérienne (1880) predates the Fantaisie « Afrique ». In fact, this 'Africa' is a Latin term. While the etymology of 'Africa' is uncertain and subject to various theories, the term became established during the Roman Empire through the usage of Africa terra (land of the Africans). Where was the land the Romans called 'Africa'? It was Carthage. In 146 BC, Carthage was defeated in the Third Punic War and became a Roman province, a region centered around present-day Tunisia.  

To make a long introduction short, the 'Africa' in Fantaisie « Afrique » refers to Africa in its narrow, Roman-era Latin sense. If translated into modern terms, North Africa Fantasy or Tunisia Fantasy would likely give the audience a clearer image of the piece. Indeed, the national anthem of Husainid Tunisia (which was then a French protectorate) is embedded within this piece (Durand edition, rehearsal number 14).  

Regarding its composition, the piece had been commissioned several years prior by Madame Marie-Aimée Roger-Miclos, to whom it is dedicated and who performed the piano at its premiere. However, work did not progress during Saint-Saëns's wandering travels following his mother's death and the sense of loss. It was finally composed in March 1891 in Cairo, Egypt, after a trip to Ceylon. In a letter to his publisher, Auguste Durand, the composer described this piece as a 'branch office' of the Suite Algérienne. Furthermore, in the composer's own words, the work consists of 'African music notated in various places over several years,' as well as the Tunisian national anthem and 'fragments of an unfinished concerto.' The premiere took place on October 25, 1891, conducted by Édouard Colonne.  

The piece is interspersed with Arab-style melodies characterized by augmented second intervals. The first theme, with its syncopated rhythm, draws the audience in. This theme then sandwiches the lyrical second (rehearsal number 2) and third (rehearsal number 4) themes, reminiscent of an oasis's shade. Following this, a tapestry of the fourth theme (rehearsal number 9), like splashing water, and the fifth theme (rehearsal number 11), resembling a Sufi whirling dance, unfolds. The piece concludes with the fervor of the whirling dance, interspersed with a solemn and fantastical meditation based on the Tunisian national anthem.  

When one thinks of a concerto-like work for piano by a French composer titled 'Africa,' many would likely recall André Jolivet's Concerto. Compared to Saint-Saëns, Jolivet's work shows further research into rhythm and percussion usage, incorporated into his unique style. However, both were composed in the midst of the colonial era, and it is undeniable that the label of colonialism hinders the evaluation of these works. Just as world maps are produced with each country positioned near its center, humans invariably view the world from their own perspective. Thus, for Western society, it was historically inevitable that North Africa, across the Mediterranean, would serve as the gateway and window to Africa. Even though it was a colonial period, in an era without airplanes and only sea travel, Saint-Saëns, a great traveler who so frequently visited North Africa and even journeyed to Ceylon just before composing this Fantaisie « Afrique », was an exceptionally pro-Oriental figure among French people of his time, with few matching his knowledge and experience. While it is true that Saint-Saëns's Orientalism is often criticized as superficial, one must understand that there is a fundamental difference between depicting the Orient solely from imagination without ever having visited, and having actually visited but deliberately choosing not to overtly use Oriental material as a means of expression, even if the end result might appear similar from a distance. Furthermore, considering whether a 19th-century audience, had they been able to hear Jolivet's concerto, would have understood it, one might argue that Saint-Saëns's restraint would have been appreciated. With this defense, I lay down my pen.