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 Read more 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. Read less

Featured Camille Saint-Saëns CDs & DVDs:

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No 3; Moussorgsky / De Waart, Rotterdam PO

Release Date: 09/23/2003 Label: Pentatone
Catalog: 5186116 Number of Discs: 1

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Saint-Saëns: Symphonies No 1 & 2 / Inbal, Frankfurt Radio SO

Release Date: 09/20/2005 Label: Pentatone
Catalog: 5186157 Number of Discs: 1

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Work: Havanaise

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Kyung Wha Chung - Complete Decca Recordings [19 CDs & 1 DVD]

Label: Decca Catalog: 002217700 Release Date: 01/06/2015 Number of Discs: 20
Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Felix Mendelssohn, Jean Sibelius, Fritz Kreisler ...
Performer: Kyung-Wha Chung, Phillip Moll, Radu Lupu, Myung-Wha Chung ...
Conductor: Charles Dutoit, André Previn, Rudolf Kempe, Sir Georg Solti ...
Orchestra/Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ...

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Complete Vengerov: Recordings 1991-2007 [19 CDs & 1 DVD]

Label: Warner Classics Catalog: 631514 Release Date: 06/10/2014 Number of Discs: 20
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Felix Mendelssohn, Johannes Brahms ...
Performer: Itamar Golan, Maxim Vengerov, Alexander Markovich, Daniel Barenboim ...
Conductor: Zubin Mehta, Kurt Masur, Mstislav Rostropovich, Claudio Abbado ...
Orchestra/Ensemble: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra ...

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Saint-saens: Complete Works For Violin & Orchestra, Cello & Orchestra

Label: Zig Zag Catalog: 335 Release Date: 01/28/2014 Number of Discs: 3
Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer: Liya Petrova, Jolente de Maeyer, Tatiana Samouil, Harriet Langley ...
Conductor: Christian Arming
Orchestra/Ensemble: Soloists of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel

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First Choice: Saint-saens: Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso; Havanaise; Sarasate: Carmen-fantasy

Label: Deutsche Grammophon Catalog: 001662902 Release Date: 04/10/2012 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Pablo de Sarasate, Ernest Chausson, Camille Saint-Saëns, Maurice Ravel
Performer: Itzhak Perlman, Myor Rosen
Conductor: Zubin Mehta
Orchestra/Ensemble: New York Philharmonic

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5.

Saint-Saens: Complete Violin Concertos / Hoelscher

Label: Brilliant Classics Catalog: 94308 Release Date: 02/28/2012 Number of Discs: 2
Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer: Ulf Hoelscher, Ralph Kirshbaum
Conductor: Pierre Dervaux
Orchestra/Ensemble: New York Philharmonic, New Philharmonia Orchestra
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Icon - Young Genius Of The Violin / Michael Rabin

Label: Emi Classics Catalog: 6790602 Release Date: 01/10/2012 Number of Discs: 6
Composer: Niccolò Paganini, Henri Wieniawski, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Felix Mendelssohn ...
Performer: Michael Rabin, Leon Pommers
Conductor: Lovro von Matacic, Sir Eugene Goossens, Sir Adrian Boult, Alceo Galliera ...
Orchestra/Ensemble: Philharmonia Orchestra, Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra
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7.

Michael Rabin - Studio Recordings 1954-1960

Label: Testament Catalog: 1471 Release Date: 12/13/2011 Number of Discs: 6
Composer: Niccolò Paganini, Alexander Glazunov, Camille Saint-Saëns, Felix Mendelssohn ...
Performer: Michael Rabin, Leon Pommers
Conductor: Sir Eugene Goossens, Lovro von Matacic, Alceo Galliera, Felix Slatkin ...
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Saint-saens: Concertos, Carnival Of The Animals / Ciccolini, Hoelscher, Tortelier

Label: Emi Classics Catalog: 0834312 Release Date: 11/15/2011 Number of Discs: 5
Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer: Aldo Ciccolini, Ulf Hoelscher, Ralph Kirshbaum, Paul Tortelier
Conductor: Serge Baudo, Pierre Dervaux
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestre de Paris, New York Philharmonic, New Philharmonia Orchestra ...

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9.

Selections - The Best Of James Ehnes

Label: Analekta Catalog: 29768 Release Date: 03/08/2011 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Antonín Dvorák, Fritz Kreisler, Camille Saint-Saëns, Jules Massenet ...
Performer: James Ehnes, Eduard Laurel, Luc Beauséjour
Conductor: Yoav Talmi

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10.

Pierre Monteux Edition Vol 6 - Debussy, Liszt, Scriabin

Label: Rca Victor Gold Seal Catalog: 61890 Release Date: 05/13/2010 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Claude Debussy, Camille Saint-Saëns, Alexander Scriabin, Franz Liszt
Performer: Leonid Kogan, Roger Voisin
Conductor: Pierre Monteux
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Symphony Orchestra

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11.

Ravel: Tzigane; Saint-Saens: Violin Concerto / Szeryng

Label: Philips Silverline Classics Catalog: 420887 Release Date: 04/08/2010 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns, Maurice Ravel
Performer: Henryk Szeryng
Conductor: Edouard Van Remoortel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra
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12.

A Virtuoso Violin

Label: Pavane Catalog: 7527 Release Date: 01/26/2010 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Karol Jozef Lipinski, Camille Saint-Saëns, Gioachino Rossini, Niccolò Paganini ...
Performer: Antoni Brozek, Piotr Jasiurkowski

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13.

Bizet: Carmen Suite; Ravel: Bolero / Spanish Art Guitar Quartet

Label: Nca Catalog: 60156 Release Date: 10/27/2009 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Georges Bizet, Camille Saint-Saëns, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Spanish Art Guitar Quartet

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14.

Yo-Yo Ma - 30 Years Outside the Box

Label: Sony Catalog: 752307 Release Date: 10/27/2009 Number of Discs: 90
Composer: Sandeep Das, Traditional, Kayhan Kalhor, Zhou Long ...
Performer: Joseph Gramley, Kim Dong-Won, Yo-Yo Ma, Mark Suter ...
Conductor: Miguel Harth-Bedoya, John T. Williams, Ennio Morricone, Isaac Stern ...
Orchestra/Ensemble: Silk Road Ensemble, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Qi Lin ...

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Bruch: Violin Concerto; Virtuoso Pieces / Michael Rabin

Label: Audite Catalog: 95607 Release Date: 09/08/2009 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Pablo de Sarasate, Camille Saint-Saëns, William Kroll ...
Performer: Michael Rabin, Lothar Broddack
Conductor: Thomas Schippers
Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin RIAS Symphony Orchestra

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16.

Jascha Heifetz Greatest Hits

Label: Rca Victor Red Seal Catalog: 742202 Release Date: 06/23/2009 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns, Franz Waxman, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Pablo de Sarasate ...
Performer: Jascha Heifetz, Brooks Smith, Emanuel Bay, Arpád Sándor
Conductor: William Steinberg, Donald Voorhees, Alfred Wallenstein, Fritz Reiner ...

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17.

Thibaud Plays French Music - Lalo, Chausson, Saint-saens

Label: Opus Kura Catalog: 2082 Release Date: 05/12/2009 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Edouard Lalo, Ernest Chausson, Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer: Jacques Thibaud
Conductor: Ernest Ansermet, Eugène Bigot, Pierre Monteux

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18.

Yehudi Menuhin - The Great EMI Recordings

Label: Emi Classics Catalog: 64131 Release Date: 04/21/2009 Number of Discs: 50
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Lili Boulanger, Ernest Bloch, Ludwig van Beethoven ...
Performer: Yehudi Menuhin, Ferguson Webster, Derek Simpson, Robert Masters ...
Conductor: Sir Adrian Boult, John Pritchard, George Enescu, Sir William Walton ...
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Colonne Concerts Orchestra ...
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19.

Icon - Jascha Heifetz - The Master Violinist

Label: Warner Classics Catalog: 17312 Release Date: 10/28/2008 Number of Discs: 6
Composer: César Franck, Niccolò Paganini, Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonio Vivaldi ...
Performer: Artur Rubinstein, Jascha Heifetz, Arpád Sándor, Benno Moiseiwitsch ...
Conductor: Sir John Barbirolli, Sir Malcolm Sargent, Sir Thomas Beecham
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

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20.

Violin Showpieces / Erick Friedman

Label: Rca Silver Seal Catalog: 61210 Release Date: 08/29/2007 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Pablo de Sarasate, Henri Wieniawski, Camille Saint-Saëns, Niccolò Paganini ...
Performer: Erick Friedman
Conductor: Sir Malcolm Sargent, Walter Hendl
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

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21.

The Best Of Maxim Vengerov

Label: Warner Classics Catalog: 63780 Release Date: 04/24/2007 Number of Discs: 11
Composer: Franz Waxman, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Jean Sibelius, Dmitri Shostakovich ...
Performer: Maxim Vengerov, Alexander Markovich, Revital Chachamov, Itamar Golan
Conductor: Zubin Mehta, Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim, Mstislav Rostropovich ...
Orchestra/Ensemble: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra ...

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22.

Jacques Thibaud - The Complete Solo Recordings 1929-36

Label: Apr (Appian) Catalog: 6003 Release Date: 09/12/2006 Number of Discs: 2
Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns, Manuel de Falla, Enrique Granados, Maria Theresia Paradis ...
Performer: George De Lausnay, Jacques Thibaud, Tasso Janopolou, Alfred Cortot
Conductor: Ernest Ansermet
Orchestra/Ensemble: Suisse Romande Orchestra
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23.

Legendary Treasures - Ricardo Odnoposoff Vol. 1

Label: Doremi Records Catalog: 7874 Release Date: 05/23/2006 Number of Discs: 6
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Antonín Dvorák, Niccolò Paganini, Felix Mendelssohn ...
Performer: Ricardo Odnoposoff

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24.

Complete Recordings Of Grieg, Saint Saens, And Pugno

Label: Marston Catalog: 52054 Release Date: 05/12/2006 Number of Discs: 2
Composer: Edvard Grieg, Camille Saint-Saëns, Jules Massenet, Claude Debussy ...
Performer: Edvard Grieg, Camille Saint-Saëns, Gabriel Willaume, Meyriane Héglon ...

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25.

Szymanowski, Chausson... / Nicola Benedetti

Label: Deutsche Grammophon Catalog: 000615402 Release Date: 04/04/2006 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: John Tavener, Johannes Brahms, Jules Massenet, Ernest Chausson ...
Performer: Nicola Benedetti
Conductor: Daniel Harding
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
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