Abstract
This article provides a comparative analysis of Marie Jaëll’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor and Cécile Chaminade’s Concertstück in C-sharp Minor for piano and orchestra, Op. 40. The study first examines different approaches to exoticism by these nineteenth-century French women composers. It reveals how Chaminade incorporated elements of Turkish Janissary music, and how Jaëll employed the double harmonic scale. Both composers had close relationships with many of their contemporaries. Within this context, this study explores how the writing style of these two piano concertos was influenced by the German tradition and other composers, such as Liszt and Wagner, particularly through the use of thematic transformation and extensive chromaticism. Furthermore, the individual stylistic characteristics of both composers are highlighted through an analysis of musical structure, meter arrangements, and compositional techniques. Jaëll’s unique style manifests through the application of unconventional meters and the organic integration of complex lines in her concerto. Chaminade’s Concertstück, on the other hand, reflects her distinctive salon style through scherzo elements and lyrical melodies.
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How to cite this paper
Comparison Between Marie Jaëll’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor and Cécile Chaminade’s Concertstück in C-Sharp Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 40
How to cite this paper: Yian Wang. (2026) Comparison Between Marie Jaëll’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor and Cécile Chaminade’s Concertstück in C-Sharp Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 40. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 10(9), 1138-1144.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2026.09.016