Camille Saint-Saëns
Camille Saint-Saëns was something of an anomaly among French composers of the nineteenth century in that he wrote in virtually all genres, including opera, symphonies, concertos, songs, sacred and secular choral music, solo piano, and chamber music. He was generally not a pioneer, though he did help to revive some earlier and largely forgotten dance forms, like the bourée and gavotte. He was a conservative who wrote many popular scores scattered throughout the various genres: the Piano Concerto No. 2, Symphony No. 3 ("Organ"), the symphonic poem Danse macabre, the opera Samson et Dalila, and probably his most widely performed work, The Carnival of The Animals. While he remained a composer closely tied to tradition and traditional forms in his later years, he did develop a more arid style, less colorful and, in the end, less appealing. He was also a poet and playwright of some distinction. Saint-Saëns was born in Paris on October 9, 1835. He was one of the most precocious musicians ever, beginning piano lessons with his aunt at two-and-a-half and composing his first work at three. At age seven he studied composition with Pierre Maledin. When he was ten, he gave a concert that included Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto, Mozart's B flat Concerto, K. 460, along with works by Bach, Handel, and Hummel. In his academic studies, he displayed the same genius, learning languages and advanced mathematics with ease and celerity. He would also develop keen, lifelong interests in geology and astronomy. In 1848, he entered the Paris Conservatory and studied organ and composition, the latter with Halévy. By his early twenties, following the composition of two symphonies, he had won the admiration and support of Berlioz, Liszt, Gounod, Rossini, and other notable figures. From 1853 to 1876, he held church organist posts; he also taught at the École Niedermeyer (1861-1865). He composed much throughout his early years, turning out the 1853 Symphony in F ("Urbs Roma"), a Mass (1855) and several concertos, including the popular second, for piano (1868). In 1875, Saint-Saëns married the 19-year-old Marie Truffot, bringing on perhaps the saddest chapter in his life. The union produced two children who died within six weeks of each other, one from a four-story fall. The marriage ended in 1881. Oddly, this dark period in his life produced some of his most popular works, including Danse macabre (1875) and Samson et Dalila (1878). After the tragic events of his marriage, Saint-Saëns developed a fondness for Fauré and his family, acting as a second father to Fauré's children. But he also remained very close to his mother, who had opposed his marriage. When she died in 1888, the composer fell into a deep depression, even contemplating suicide for a time. He did much travel in the years that followed and developed an interest in Algeria and Egypt, which eventually inspired him to write Africa (1891) and his Piano Concerto No. 5, the "Egyptian". He also turned out works unrelated to exotic places, such as his popular and most enduring serious composition, the Symphony No. 3. Curiously, after 1890, Saint-Saëns' music was regarded with some condescension in his homeland, while in England and the United States he was hailed as France's greatest living composer well into the twentieth century. Saint-Saëns experienced an especially triumphant concert tour when he visited the U.S. in 1915. In the last two decades of his life, he remained attached to his dogs and was largely a loner. He died in Algeria on December 16, 1921.© TiVo Read more
Camille Saint-Saëns was something of an anomaly among French composers of the nineteenth century in that he wrote in virtually all genres, including opera, symphonies, concertos, songs, sacred and secular choral music, solo piano, and chamber music. He was generally not a pioneer, though he did help to revive some earlier and largely forgotten dance forms, like the bourée and gavotte. He was a conservative who wrote many popular scores scattered throughout the various genres: the Piano Concerto No. 2, Symphony No. 3 ("Organ"), the symphonic poem Danse macabre, the opera Samson et Dalila, and probably his most widely performed work, The Carnival of The Animals. While he remained a composer closely tied to tradition and traditional forms in his later years, he did develop a more arid style, less colorful and, in the end, less appealing. He was also a poet and playwright of some distinction.
Saint-Saëns was born in Paris on October 9, 1835. He was one of the most precocious musicians ever, beginning piano lessons with his aunt at two-and-a-half and composing his first work at three. At age seven he studied composition with Pierre Maledin. When he was ten, he gave a concert that included Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto, Mozart's B flat Concerto, K. 460, along with works by Bach, Handel, and Hummel. In his academic studies, he displayed the same genius, learning languages and advanced mathematics with ease and celerity. He would also develop keen, lifelong interests in geology and astronomy.
In 1848, he entered the Paris Conservatory and studied organ and composition, the latter with Halévy. By his early twenties, following the composition of two symphonies, he had won the admiration and support of Berlioz, Liszt, Gounod, Rossini, and other notable figures. From 1853 to 1876, he held church organist posts; he also taught at the École Niedermeyer (1861-1865). He composed much throughout his early years, turning out the 1853 Symphony in F ("Urbs Roma"), a Mass (1855) and several concertos, including the popular second, for piano (1868).
In 1875, Saint-Saëns married the 19-year-old Marie Truffot, bringing on perhaps the saddest chapter in his life. The union produced two children who died within six weeks of each other, one from a four-story fall. The marriage ended in 1881. Oddly, this dark period in his life produced some of his most popular works, including Danse macabre (1875) and Samson et Dalila (1878). After the tragic events of his marriage, Saint-Saëns developed a fondness for Fauré and his family, acting as a second father to Fauré's children.
But he also remained very close to his mother, who had opposed his marriage. When she died in 1888, the composer fell into a deep depression, even contemplating suicide for a time. He did much travel in the years that followed and developed an interest in Algeria and Egypt, which eventually inspired him to write Africa (1891) and his Piano Concerto No. 5, the "Egyptian". He also turned out works unrelated to exotic places, such as his popular and most enduring serious composition, the Symphony No. 3.
Curiously, after 1890, Saint-Saëns' music was regarded with some condescension in his homeland, while in England and the United States he was hailed as France's greatest living composer well into the twentieth century. Saint-Saëns experienced an especially triumphant concert tour when he visited the U.S. in 1915. In the last two decades of his life, he remained attached to his dogs and was largely a loner. He died in Algeria on December 16, 1921.
© TiVo
-
Saint-Saëns : Complete Violin Concertos
Camille Saint-Saëns
Concertos - Released by Groupe Analekta, Inc on Oct 23, 2015
4 étoiles Classica24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: Le Carnaval des animaux / Poulenc: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by SnailWorx on Jan 29, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns - Liszt - Saariaho - Moussa (Deluxe Edition)
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by Groupe Analekta, Inc on Oct 23, 2015
5 Sterne Fono Forum Klassik16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: The Carnival of Animals (Digitally Remastered)
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by EMG Classical on Dec 9, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Camille Saint-Saëns Performs Original Piano Works
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by Torill Music on Aug 30, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns & Tchaikovsky
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by Analekta on Sep 25, 2012
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saens: Carnival Of The Animals
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by Big Eye on Jan 1, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 5, Op. 103
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by American Symphony Orchestra on Sep 13, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22 (Digitally Remastered)
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by EMG Classical on Dec 9, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: Le déluge, poème biblique, Op. 45
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by American Symphony Orchestra on Sep 18, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carnival of the Animals
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by Cobra Entertainment LLC on Mar 12, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns, Goss, Franck: Works for Piano & Orchestra
Camille Saint-Saëns
Concertos - Released by Signum Records on Nov 25, 2013
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Carnival of the Animals - Classics for Children
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by Reader's Digest Music on Jan 18, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Carnival of Animals Musical Picture
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by Digital Music Group, Inc. on Feb 3, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns, Sinfonía No. 3
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by JamadaClassics on Nov 5, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Classical Best Saint-Saëns
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by Armasi on Aug 22, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Soprano Love Arias: 50 Must-Have Opera Classics
Camille Saint-Saëns
Opera - Released by Cobra Entertainment LLC on Jul 28, 2017
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
French Chamber Music for Woodwinds, Volume One: Debussy and Saint-Saëns
Camille Saint-Saëns
Chamber Music - Released by Signum-Cala on Apr 26, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Camille Saint-Saëns - Sonata for Bassoon & Piano in G Major Op.168 / Sonate für Fagott & Klavier Opus 168 / Sonate pour basson en sol majeur
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by K&K Verlagsanstalt on Jan 15, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: Concertos No. 2, No. 3, No. 5 & Septuor, pour piano et orchestre (1955 - 1957)
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by Classical Moments on Mar 22, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: Le Carnaval des Animaux, Works for Two Pianos
Camille Saint-Saëns
Classical - Released by Globe on Jan 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo