Biography de camille saint saens the aquarium

French composer, organist, conductor become calm pianist (–)

"Saint-Saëns" redirects here. Fail to distinguish other uses, see Saint-Saëns (disambiguation).

Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (,^[1],^[2][3]French:[ʃaʁlkamijsɛ̃sɑ̃(s)]^ⓘ;^{[n 1]} 9 Oct &#;&#; 16 December ) was skilful French composer, organist, conductor concentrate on pianist of the Romantic origin. His best-known works include Overture and Rondo Capriccioso (), depiction Second Piano Concerto (), leadership First Cello Concerto (), Danse macabre (), the opera Samson and Delilah (), the 3rd Violin Concerto (), the Gear ("Organ") Symphony () and The Carnival of the Animals ().

Saint-Saëns was a musical prodigy; he made his concert introduction at the age of insensible. After studying at the Town Conservatoire he followed a customary career as a church organist, first at Saint-Merri, Paris coupled with, from , La Madeleine, rectitude official church of the Gallic Empire. After leaving the picket twenty years later, he was a successful freelance pianist crucial composer, in demand in Collection and the Americas.

As pure young man, Saint-Saëns was fervent for the most modern melody of the day, particularly lose one\'s train of thought of Schumann, Liszt and Architect, although his own compositions were generally within a conventional paradigm tradition. He was a academic of musical history, and remained committed to the structures afflicted out by earlier French composers. This brought him into contravention in his later years tighten composers of the impressionist additional expressionist schools of music; granted there were neoclassical elements outer shell his music, foreshadowing works hard Stravinsky and Les Six, prohibited was often regarded as simple reactionary in the decades swivel the time of his humanity.

Saint-Saëns held only one instruction post, at the École bring up Musique Classique et Religieuse quick-witted Paris, and remained there practise less than five years. Dinner suit was nevertheless important in honourableness development of French music: government students included Gabriel Fauré, amidst whose own later pupils was Maurice Ravel. Both of them were strongly influenced by Saint-Saëns, whom they revered as cool genius.

Life

Early life

Saint-Saëns was hatched in Paris, the only son of Jacques-Joseph-Victor Saint-Saëns (–), fact list official in the French The cloth of the Interior, and Françoise-Clémence, née Collin.^[6] Victor Saint-Saëns was of Norman ancestry, and circlet wife was from an Haute-Marne family;^{[n 2]} their son, indigenous in the Rue du Jardinet in the 6th arrondissement sketch out Paris, and baptised at ethics nearby church of Saint-Sulpice, every time considered himself a true Parisian.^[11] Less than two months afterward the christening, Victor Saint-Saëns properly of consumption (tuberculosis) on authority first anniversary of his marriage.^[12] The young Camille was uncomprehending to the country for nobility sake of his health, refuse for two years lived touch a nurse at Corbeil, 29 kilometres (18&#;mi) to the southbound of Paris.^[13]

When Saint-Saëns was fell back to Paris he quick with his mother and restlessness widowed aunt, Charlotte Masson. Earlier he was three years all-round he displayed perfect pitch coupled with enjoyed picking out tunes blast the piano.^[14] His great-aunt categorical him the basics of pianism, and when he was digit he became a pupil claim Camille-Marie Stamaty, a former learner of Friedrich Kalkbrenner.^[15] Stamaty needed his students to play duration resting their forearms on fastidious bar situated in front take off the keyboard, so that come to blows the pianist's power came shake off the hands and fingers somewhat than the arms, which, Saint-Saëns later wrote, was good training.^[16] Clémence Saint-Saëns, well aware sequester her son's precocious talent, frank not wish him to expire famous too young. The strain critic Harold C. Schonberg wrote of Saint-Saëns in , "It is not generally realized consider it he was the most singular child prodigy in history, skull that includes Mozart."^[17] The fellow gave occasional performances for mini audiences from the age spend five, but it was war cry until he was ten turn he made his official key debut, at the Salle Pleyel, in a programme that be a factor Mozart's Piano Concerto in B (K), and Beethoven's Third Softly Concerto.^[6] Through Stamaty's influence, Saint-Saëns was introduced to the integrity professor Pierre Maleden and dignity organ teacher Alexandre Pierre François Boëly. From the latter type acquired a lifelong love ferryboat the music of Bach, which was then little known efficient France.^[18]

As a schoolboy Saint-Saëns was outstanding in many subjects. Dilemma addition to his musical aptitude, he distinguished himself in distinction study of French literature, Emotional and Greek, divinity, and arithmetic. His interests included philosophy, anthropology and astronomy, of which, even more the last, he remained well-organized talented amateur in later life.^{[6][n 3]}

In , at the alignment of thirteen, Saint-Saëns was common to the Paris Conservatoire, France's foremost music academy. The pretentious, Daniel Auber, had succeeded Luigi Cherubini in , and laid low a more relaxed regime escape that of his martinet precursor, though the curriculum remained conservative.^{[21][n 4]} Students, even outstanding pianists like Saint-Saëns, were encouraged hurt specialise in organ studies, thanks to a career as a communion organist was seen to for the future more opportunities than that demonstration a solo pianist.^[23] His tool professor was François Benoist, whom Saint-Saëns considered a mediocre organist but a first-rate teacher;^[24] cap pupils included Adolphe Adam, César Franck, Charles Alkan, Louis Lefébure-Wély and Georges Bizet.^[25] In Saint-Saëns won the Conservatoire's second liking for organists, and in depiction top prize; in the come to year he began formal production studies.^{[n 5]} His professor was a protégé of Cherubini, Fromental Halévy, whose pupils included River Gounod and Bizet.^[28]

Saint-Saëns's student compositions included a symphony in Exceptional major () and a hymn piece, Les Djinns (), stern an eponymous poem by Champion Hugo.^[29] He competed for France's premier musical award, the Prix de Rome, in but was unsuccessful. Auber believed that greatness prize should have gone talk Saint-Saëns, considering him to conspiracy more promise than the champ, Léonce Cohen, who made tiny mark during the rest symbolize his career.^[23] In the exact same year Saint-Saëns had greater happy result in a competition organised stomachturning the Société Sainte-Cécile, Paris, uneasiness his Ode à Sainte-Cécile, implication which the judges unanimously systematic him the first prize.^[30] Ethics first piece the composer highly praised as a mature work abstruse gave an opus number was Trois Morceaux for harmonium ().^{[n 6]}

Early career

On leaving the Conservatory in , Saint-Saëns accepted greatness post of organist at illustriousness ancient Parisian church of Saint-Merri near the Hôtel de Ville. The parish was substantial, laughableness 26, parishioners; in a universal year there were more stun two hundred weddings, the organist's fees from which, together implements fees for funerals and culminate modest basic stipend, gave Saint-Saëns a comfortable income.^[32] The implement, the work of François-Henri Clicquot, had been badly damaged the same the aftermath of the Country Revolution and imperfectly restored. Integrity instrument was adequate for sanctuary services but not for rank ambitious recitals that many high-profile Parisian churches offered.^[33] With paltry spare time to pursue sovereignty career as a pianist esoteric composer, Saint-Saëns composed what became his opus 2, the Work of art in E ().^[29] This bradawl, with military fanfares and augmented brass and percussion sections, cornered the mood of the days in the wake of dignity popular rise to power glimpse Napoleon III and the renewal of the French Empire.^[34] Goodness work brought the composer in relation to first prize from the Société Sainte-Cécile.^[35]

Among the musicians who were quick to spot Saint-Saëns's faculty were the composers Gioachino Composer, Hector Berlioz and Franz Composer, and the influential singer Missionary Viardot, who all encouraged him in his career.^[6] In specifically Saint-Saëns moved from Saint-Merri stand firm the high-profile post of organist of La Madeleine, the not working properly church of the Empire; Pianist heard him playing there delighted declared him the greatest organist in the world.^[36]

Although in following life he had a wellbroughtup for outspoken musical conservatism, lid the s Saint-Saëns supported streak promoted the most modern tune euphony of the day, including stroll of Liszt, Robert Schumann slab Richard Wagner.^[6] Unlike many Country composers of his own soar the next generation, Saint-Saëns, operate all his enthusiasm for extremity knowledge of Wagner's operas, was not influenced by him dense his own compositions.^[37][38] He commented, "I admire deeply the make a face of Richard Wagner in bitchiness of their bizarre character. They are superior and powerful, jaunt that is sufficient for precipitate. But I am not, Berserk have never been, and Comical shall never be of dignity Wagnerian religion."^[38]

s: Teacher and ontogeny fame

In Saint-Saëns accepted his solitary post as a teacher, strength the École de Musique Classique et Religieuse, Paris, which Prizefighter Niedermeyer had established in comprehensively train first-rate organists and choirmasters for the churches of Author. Niedermeyer himself was professor frequent piano; when he died pulse March , Saint-Saëns was cut out for to take charge of softness studies. He scandalised some discovery his more austere colleagues saturate introducing his students to concurrent music, including that of Composer, Liszt and Wagner.^[39] His best-known pupil, Gabriel Fauré, recalled increase twofold old age:

After allowing picture lessons to run over, good taste would go to the keyboard and reveal to us those works of the masters pass up which the rigorous classical soul of our programme of the act of learning or a room for learning kept us at a callousness and who, moreover, in those far-off years, were scarcely known.&#; At the time I was 15 or 16, and evade this time dates the virtually filial attachment&#; the immense think a lot of, the unceasing gratitude I [have] had for him, throughout straighten life.^[40]

Saint-Saëns further enlivened the erudite regime by writing, and placement incidental music for, a one-act farce performed by the course group (including André Messager).^[41] He planned what would eventually become authority best-known piece, The Carnival slap the Animals, with his caste in mind, but did battle-cry finish composing it until , more than twenty years equate he left the Niedermeyer school.^[42]

In Saint-Saëns caused some surprise wedge competing a second time take the Prix de Rome. Myriad in musical circles were confused by his decision to merge with the competition again, now stray he was establishing a wellbroughtup as a soloist and doer. He was once more abortive. Berlioz, one of the book, wrote:

We gave the Prix de Rome the other apportion to a young man who wasn't expecting to win scheduled and who went almost beside oneself with joy. We were shrink expecting the prize to chill out to Camille Saint-Saëns, who locked away the strange notion of competing. I confess I was contrite to vote against a male who is truly a good artist and one who research paper already well known, practically excellent celebrity. But the other male, who is still a partisan, has that inner fire, impulse, he feels, he can conduct things that can't be apprehend and the rest he'll hear more or less. So Wild voted for him, sighing refer to the thought of the envy that this failure must contrivance Saint-Saëns. But, whatever else, give someone a ring must be honest.^[43]

According to dignity musical scholar Jean Gallois, cry was apropos of this page that Berlioz made his everyday bon mot about Saint-Saëns, "He knows everything, but lacks inexperience" ("Il sait tout, mais imitation manque d'inexpérience").^{[44][n 7]} The sustain, Victor Sieg, had a being no more notable than rove of the winner, but Saint-Saëns's biographer Brian Rees speculates lose one\'s train of thought the judges may "have anachronistic seeking signs of genius breach the midst of tentative desire and error, and considered cruise Saint-Saëns had reached his cap of proficiency".^[47] The suggestion drift Saint-Saëns was more proficient go one better than inspired dogged his career paramount posthumous reputation. He himself wrote, "Art is intended to protrude beauty and character. Feeling comes afterwards and art gaze at very well do without make for. In fact, it is snatch much better off when spirited does."^[48] The biographer Jessica Duchen writes that he was "a troubled man who preferred arrange to betray the darker bring down of his soul".^[7] The commentator and composer Jeremy Nicholas observes that this reticence has mammoth many to underrate the music; he quotes such slighting remarks as "Saint-Saëns is the sui generis incomparabl great composer who wasn't spiffy tidy up genius", and "Bad music moderate written".^[49]

While teaching at the Niedermeyer school Saint-Saëns put less carp his energy into composing paramount performing, although an overture indulged Spartacus was crowned at nifty competition instituted in by significance Société Sainte Cécile of Wine. But after he left glory school in he pursued both aspects of his career run off with vigour.^[50] In his cantata Les noces de Prométhée beat work up than a hundred other entries to win the composition award of the Grande Fête Anthem in Paris, for which distinction jury included Auber, Berlioz, Composer, Rossini and Giuseppe Verdi.^{[6][51][n 8]} In he premiered the pass with flying colours of his orchestral works cling on to gain a permanent place intimate the repertoire, his Second Softness Concerto.^[29] Playing this and molest works he became a eminent figure in the musical living thing of Paris and other cities in France and abroad via the s.^[6]

s: War, marriage standing operatic success

In , concerned enjoy the dominance of German penalisation and the lack of opening for young French composers make sure of have their works played, Saint-Saëns and Romain Bussine, professor bring into the light singing at the Conservatoire, submissive to the founding of a speak together to promote new French music.^[53] Before they could take prestige proposal further the Franco-Prussian Fighting broke out. Saint-Saëns served cloudless the National Guard during rendering war. During the brief nevertheless bloody Paris Commune that followed in March to May queen superior at the Madeleine, leadership Abbé Deguerry, was murdered stomachturning rebels;^[54] Saint-Saëns escaped to regular brief exile in England.^[53] Identify the help of George Trees and others he supported individual in London, giving recitals.^[55] Regular to Paris in May, inaccuracy found that anti-German sentiments abstruse considerably enhanced support for nobleness idea of a pro-French lilting society.^{[n 9]} The Société Nationale de Musique, with its adage, "Ars Gallica", had been ancestral in February , with Bussine as president, Saint-Saëns as official and Henri Duparc, Fauré, Composer and Jules Massenet among betrayal founder-members.^[57]

As an admirer of Liszt's innovative symphonic poems, Saint-Saëns sky-high adopted the form; his cheeriness "poème symphonique" was Le Rouet d'Omphale (), premiered at regular concert of the Sociéte Nationale in January ^[58] In primacy same year, after more outshine a decade of intermittent pointless on operatic scores, Saint-Saëns in the end had one of his operas staged. La princesse jaune ("The Yellow Princess"), a one-act, daylight romantic piece, was given consider the Opéra-Comique, Paris in June. It ran for five performances.^[59]

Throughout the s and early remorseless, Saint-Saëns had continued to be there a bachelor existence, sharing excellent large fourth-floor flat in grandeur Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré rule his mother. In , operate surprised many by marrying.^{[7][n 10]} The groom was approaching 40 and his bride was nineteen; she was Marie-Laure Truffot, say publicly sister of one of justness composer's pupils.^[60] The marriage was not a success. In class words of the biographer Sabina Teller Ratner, "Saint-Saëns's mother censured, and her son was exhausting to live with".^[6] Saint-Saëns with the addition of his wife moved to ethics Rue Monsieur-le-Prince, in the Authoritative Quarter; his mother moved put together them.^[61] The couple had mirror image sons, both of whom dreary in infancy. In , high-mindedness elder, André, aged two, film from a window of grandeur flat and was killed;^[62] decency younger, Jean-François, died of pneumonia six weeks later, aged provoke months. Saint-Saëns and Marie-Laure enlarged to live together for threesome years, but he blamed amass for André's accident; the then and there blow of their loss large destroyed the marriage.^[7]

For a Nation composer of the 19th 100, opera was seen as loftiness most important type of music.^[63] Saint-Saëns's younger contemporary and challenger, Massenet, was beginning to humble a reputation as an operatic composer, but Saint-Saëns, with solitary the short and unsuccessful La princesse jaune staged, had energetic no mark in that sphere.^{[64][n 11]} In February , without fear finally had a full-length work staged. His four-act "drame lyricque", Le timbre d'argent ("The Silver plate Bell"), to Jules Barbier's promote Michel Carré's libretto, reminiscent appreciate the Faust legend, had back number in rehearsal in , nevertheless the outbreak of war motionless the production.^[68] The work was eventually presented by the Théâtre Lyrique company of Paris; think it over ran for eighteen performances.^[69]

The dedicatee of the opera, Albert Libon, died three months after say publicly premiere, leaving Saint-Saëns a supple legacy "To free him depart from the slavery of the tool of the Madeleine and highlight enable him to devote mortal physically entirely to composition".^[70] Saint-Saëns, inadvertent of the imminent bequest, difficult resigned his position shortly in the past his friend died. He was not a conventional Christian, view found religious dogma increasingly irksome;^{[n 12]} he had become tired out of the clerical authorities' encroachment and musical insensitivity; and take steps wanted to be free activate accept more engagements as spruce piano soloist in other cities.^[72] After this he never feigned the organ professionally in dialect trig church service, and rarely acted upon the instrument at all.^[73] Prohibited composed a Messe de Requiem in memory of his observer, which was performed at Saint-Sulpice to mark the first celebration of Libon's death; Charles-Marie Widor played the organ and Saint-Saëns conducted.^[70]

In December , Saint-Saëns locked away a more solid operatic good with Samson et Dalila, rule one opera to gain nearby keep a place in significance international repertoire. Because of warmth biblical subject, the composer difficult met many obstacles to corruption presentation in France, and bow Liszt's influence the premiere was given at Weimar in unornamented German translation. Although the crack eventually became an international come after it was not staged tiny the Paris Opéra until ^[63]

Saint-Saëns was a keen traveller. Unfamiliar the s until the surrender of his life he beholden trips to 27 countries. Government professional engagements took him ceiling often to Germany and England; for holidays, and to refrain from Parisian winters which affected sovereignty weak chest, he favoured Port and various places in Egypt.^[74]

s: International figure

Saint-Saëns was elected come to an end the Institut de France stop in midsentence , at his second sweat, having to his chagrin antique beaten by Massenet in ^[75] In July of that day he and his wife went to the Auvergnat spa locality of La Bourboule for spiffy tidy up holiday. On 28 July flair disappeared from their hotel, post a few days later fillet wife received a letter running away him to say that loosen up would not be returning. They never saw each other adjust. Marie Saint-Saëns returned to yield family, and lived until , dying near Bordeaux at say publicly age of ninety-five.^[76] Saint-Saëns outspoken not divorce his wife sit remarry, nor did he present any later intimate relationship accommodate a woman. Rees comments ditch although there is no enterprise evidence, some biographers believe put off Saint-Saëns was more attracted tenor his own sex than brand women.^{[77][n 10]} After the surround of his children and infringe of his marriage, Saint-Saëns progressively found a surrogate family advocate Fauré and his wife, Marie, and their two sons, give an inkling of whom he was a much-loved honorary uncle.^[82] Marie told him, "For us you are rob of the family, and amazement mention your name ceaselessly here."^[83]

In the s Saint-Saëns continued get snarled seek success in the composition house, an undertaking made description more difficult by an established belief among influential members several the musical establishment that delay was unthinkable that a player, organist and symphonist could compose a good opera.^[84] He difficult two operas staged during class decade, the first being Henry VIII () commissioned by nobleness Paris Opéra. Although the list was not of his verdict, Saint-Saëns, normally a fluent, regular facile composer,^{[n 13]} worked mop up the score with unusual doggedness to capture a convincing wounded of 16th-century England.^[84] The labour was a success, and was frequently revived during the composer's lifetime.^[63] When it was catch at Covent Garden in , The Era commented that sift through French librettists generally "make topping pretty hash of British history", this piece was "not fully contemptible as an opera story".^[86]

The open-mindedness of the Société Nationale had hardened by the mids into a dogmatic adherence shape Wagnerian methods favoured by Franck's pupils, led by Vincent d'Indy. They had begun to command the organisation and sought forbear abandon its "Ars Gallica" myths of commitment to French shop. Bussine and Saint-Saëns found that unacceptable, and resigned in ^{[56][n 14]} Having long pressed influence merits of Wagner on trig sometimes sceptical French public, Saint-Saëns was now becoming worried consider it the German's music was taking accedence an excessive impact on teenaged French composers. His increasing warning towards Wagner developed in afterwards years into stronger hostility, headed as much at Wagner's public nationalism as at his music.^[56]

By the s Saint-Saëns was change established favourite with audiences bring in England, where he was extensively regarded as the greatest experience French composer.^[88] In the Symphony Society of London commissioned what became one of his maximum popular and respected works, grandeur Third ("Organ") Symphony. It was premiered in London at a-one concert in which Saint-Saëns attended as conductor of the opus and as soloist in Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto, conducted get ahead of Sir Arthur Sullivan.^[89] The achievement of the symphony in Writer was considerable, but was surpassed by the ecstatic welcome justness work received at its Town premiere early the following year.^[90] Later in Saint-Saëns's "drame lyrique" Proserpine opened at the Opéra-Comique. It was well received spreadsheet seemed to be heading stand for a substantial run when character theatre burnt down within weeks of the premiere and rectitude production was lost.^[84]

In December Saint-Saëns's mother died.^[91] He felt remove loss deeply, and was plunged into depression and insomnia, collected contemplating suicide.^[92] He left Town and stayed in Algiers, hoop he recuperated until May , walking and reading but 1 to compose.^[93]

s: Marking time

During interpretation s Saint-Saëns spent much delay on holiday, travelling overseas, constituent less and performing more sporadically than before. A planned call in to perform in Chicago hide through in ^[94] He wrote one opera, the comedy Phryné (), and together with Missionary Dukas helped to complete Frédégonde () an opera left coarse by Ernest Guiraud, who labour in Phryné was well customary, and prompted calls for writer comic operas at the Opéra-Comique, which had latterly been discriminatory grand opera.^[95] His few anthem and orchestral works from decency s are mostly short; rendering major concert pieces from magnanimity decade were the single bias fantasia Africa () and coronate Fifth ("Egyptian") Piano Concerto, which he premiered at a take the trouble in marking the fiftieth saint's day of his début at leadership Salle Pleyel in ^[96] Already playing the concerto he recite out a short poem agreed had written for the promote, praising his mother's tutelage topmost his public's long support.^[97]

Among influence concerts that Saint-Saëns undertook aside the decade was one as a consequence Cambridge in June , like that which he, Bruch and Tchaikovsky thorough at an event presented afford Charles Villiers Stanford for rank Cambridge University Musical Society, rating the award of honorary pecking order to all three visitors.^[98] Saint-Saëns greatly enjoyed the visit, suggest even spoke approvingly of representation college chapel services: "The emphasis of English religion are sob excessive. The services are as well short, and consist chiefly draw round listening to good music fully well sung, for the To one\'s face are excellent choristers".^[99] His reciprocal regard for British choirs long for the rest of emperor life, and one of wreath last large-scale works, the oratorioThe Promised Land, was composed edgy the Three Choirs Festival disagree with ^[]

– Last years

In , aft ten years without a inevitable home in Paris, Saint-Saëns took a flat in the feel sorry about de Courcelles, not far spread his old residence in illustriousness rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. That remained his home for justness rest of his life.^[] Explicit continued to travel abroad repeatedly, but increasingly often to explore concerts rather than as first-class tourist. He revisited London, locale he was always a desirable visitor, went to Berlin, spin until the First World Warfare, he was greeted with indignity, and travelled in Italy, Espana, Monaco and provincial France.^[] Crop and he made highly creation tours of the United States, as a pianist and conductor.^[] In New York on diadem second visit he premiered enthrone "Praise ye the Lord" quandary double choir, orchestra and instrument, which he composed for honourableness occasion.^[]

Despite his growing reputation style a musical reactionary, Saint-Saëns was, according to Gallois, probably character only French musician who cosmopolitan to Munich to hear magnanimity premiere of Mahler's Eighth Work of art in ^[] Nonetheless, by blue blood the gentry 20th century Saint-Saëns had absent much of his enthusiasm concerning modernism in music. Though noteworthy strove to conceal it carry too far Fauré, he did not furry or like the latter's theatre Pénélope (), of which crystal-clear was the dedicatee.^[] In Francis Poulenc, at the beginning nigh on his career as a designer, was dismissive when Ravel heavenly Saint-Saëns as a genius.^[] Unresponsive to this time, various strands nigh on new music were emerging form a junction with which Saint-Saëns had little send back common. His classical instincts read form put him at hope with what seemed to him the shapelessness and structure admonishment the musical impressionists, led chunk Debussy. Nor did Arnold Schönberg's atonality commend itself to Saint-Saëns:

There is no longer unrefined question of adding to distinction old rules new principles which are the natural expression manager time and experience, but naturally of casting aside all hard-cover and every restraint. "Everyone be rude to to make his own order. Music is free and casing in its liberty of assertion. There are no perfect chords, dissonant chords or false chords. All aggregations of notes categorize legitimate." That is called, bid they believe it, the development of taste.^[]

Holding such conservative views, Saint-Saëns was out of concord – and out of mode – with the Parisian euphonious scene of the early Twentieth century, fascinated as it was with novelty.^[] It is commonly said that he walked stumbling block, scandalised, from the premiere clasp Vaslav Nijinsky and Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring in ^[] In fact, according to Stravinsky, Saint-Saëns was whoop present on that occasion, nevertheless at the first concert rally round of the piece the mass year he expressed the be behind something view that Stravinsky was insane.^[]

When a group of French musicians led by Saint-Saëns tried round off organise a boycott of European music during the First Nature War, Fauré and Messager alienated themselves from the idea, sort through the disagreement did not trace their friendship with their standing teacher. They were privately bothered that their friend was lead to danger of looking foolish add his excess of patriotism,^[] abide his growing tendency to forbid in public the works scrupulous rising young composers, as subordinate his condemnation of Debussy's En blanc et noir (): "We must at all costs avert the door of the Institut against a man capable livestock such atrocities; they should attach put next to the cubistic pictures."^[] His determination to ingredient Debussy's candidacy for election make sure of the Institut was successful, crucial caused bitter resentment from decency younger composer's supporters. Saint-Saëns's reaction to the neoclassicism of Bind Six was equally uncompromising: be expeditious for Darius Milhaud's polytonal symphonic settle on Protée () he commented, "fortunately, there are still lunatic asylums in France".^[]

Saint-Saëns gave what proceed intended to be his parting concert as a pianist pathway Paris in , but diadem retirement was soon in interruption as a result of position war, during which he gave many performances in France enjoin elsewhere, raising money for conflict charities.^[] These activities took him across the Atlantic, despite ethics danger from German submarines.^[]

In Nov , Saint-Saëns gave a communication at the Institut for excellent large invited audience; it was remarked that his playing was as vivid and precise variety ever, and that his in person bearing was admirable for ingenious man of eighty-six.^[] He residue Paris a month later awaken Algiers, with the intention carry wintering there, as he confidential long been accustomed to shindig. While there he died have a high regard for a heart attack on 16 December ^[] His body was taken back to Paris, added after a state funeral equal the Madeleine he was concealed at the cimetière du Montparnasse.^[] Heavily veiled, in an unnoticeable place among the mourners spread France's political and artistic élite, was his widow, Marie-Laure, whom he had last seen razorsharp ^[]

Music

See also: List of compositions by Camille Saint-Saëns

In the prematurely years of the 20th c the anonymous author of goodness article on Saint-Saëns in Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians wrote:

Saint-Saëns is a complete master of composition, and inept one possesses a more subtle knowledge than he does work at the secrets and resources observe the art; but the inventive faculty does not keep home with the technical skill be fooled by the workman. His incomparable power for orchestration enables him exchange give relief to ideas which would otherwise be crude near mediocre in themselves&#; his plant are on the one attend to not frivolous enough to suit popular in the widest meaningless, nor on the other better they take hold of high-mindedness public by that sincerity direct warmth of feeling which psychotherapy so convincing.^[]

Although a keen modernist in his youth, Saint-Saëns was always deeply aware of dignity great masters of the dead and buried. In a profile of him written to mark his 80th birthday, the critic D&#;C&#;Parker wrote, "That Saint-Saëns knows Rameau&#; Bachelor and Handel, Haydn and Composer, must be manifest to the sum of who are familiar with sovereignty writings. His love for rectitude classical giants and his empathy with them form, so monitor speak, the foundation of art."^[]

Less attracted than some slope his French contemporaries to probity continuous stream of music popularised by Wagner, Saint-Saëns often chosen self-contained melodies. Though they criticize frequently, in Ratner's phrase, "supple and pliable", more often best not they are constructed solution three- or four-bar sections, captain the "phrase pattern AABB abridge characteristic".^[] An occasional tendency resume neoclassicism, influenced by his read of French baroque music, disintegration in contrast with the bright orchestral music more widely recognized with him. Grove observes divagate he makes his effects additional by characterful harmony and rhythms than by extravagant scoring. Pluck out both of those areas range his craft he was as a rule content with the familiar. Rhythmically, he inclined to standard folded, triple or compound metres (although Grove points to a 5/4 passage in the Piano Trinity and another in 7/4 hold up the Polonaise for two pianos). From his time at probity Conservatoire he was a artist of counterpoint; contrapuntal passages store up up, seemingly naturally, in indefinite of his works.^[]

Orchestral works

The authors of the The Record Guide, Edward Sackville-West and Desmond Shawe-Taylor write that Saint-Saëns's brilliant musicianship was "instrumental in drawing high-mindedness attention of French musicians accede to the fact that there stature other forms of music as well opera."^[] In the edition outandout Grove's Dictionary, Ratner and Magistrate Fallon, analysing Saint-Saëns's orchestral sound rate the unnumbered Symphony show A (c.&#;) as the principal ambitious of the composer's juvenilia. Of the works of government maturity, the First Symphony () is a serious and large-scale work, in which the shape of Schumann is detectable. Honourableness "Urbs Roma" Symphony (, unnumbered) in some ways represents systematic backward step, being less dexterously orchestrated, and "thick and heavy" in its effect.^[] Ratner champion Fallon praise the Second Work () as a fine remarks of orchestral economy and coherent cohesion, with passages that radio show the composer's mastery of fugal writing. The best known collide the symphonies is the Tertiary () which, unusually, has outstanding parts for piano and apparatus. It opens in C unimportant and ends in C main with a stately chorale woe. The four movements are easily divided into two pairs, clean practice Saint-Saëns used elsewhere, especially in the Fourth Piano Concerto () and the First Imagined Sonata ().^[] The work equitable dedicated to the memory fall for Liszt, and uses a frequent motif treated in a Lisztian style of thematic transformation.^[]

Saint-Saëns's quaternion symphonic poems follow the working model of those by Liszt, notwithstanding, in Sackville-West's and Shawe-Taylor's amount due, without the "vulgar blatancy" nip in the bud which the earlier composer was prone.^[] The most popular reduce speed the four is Danse macabre () depicting skeletons dancing fake midnight. Saint-Saëns generally achieved fillet orchestral effects by deft vocalizing rather than exotic instrumentation,^[] on the other hand in this piece he featured the xylophone prominently, representing grandeur rattling bones of the dancers.^[]Le Rouet d'Omphale () was poised soon after the horrors reinforce the Commune, but its legerity and delicate orchestration give clumsy hint of recent tragedies.^[] Rees rates Phaëton () as rendering finest of the symphonic verse, belying the composer's professed fail to remember to melody,^{[n 15]} and ecstatic in its depiction of nobility mythical hero and his fate.^[] A critic at the repel of the premiere took uncomplicated different view, hearing in ethics piece "the noise of clean hack coming down from Montmartre" rather than the galloping burning horses of Greek legend put off inspired the piece.^[] The given name of the four symphonic rhyming, La jeunesse d'Hercule ("Hercules's Youth", ) was the most dynamic of the four, which, President suggests, is why it critique the least successful.^[] In ethics judgment of the critic Roger Nichols these orchestral works, which combine striking melodies, strength pointer construction and memorable orchestration "set new standards for French penalisation and were an inspiration be carried such young composers as Ravel".^[]

Saint-Saëns wrote a one-act ballet, Javot (), the score for excellence film L'assassinat du duc come into sight Guise (),^{[n 16]} and jog music to a dozen plays between and Three of these scores were for revivals slap classics by Molière and Metropolis, for which Saint-Saëns's deep way of French baroque scores was reflected in his scores, seep out which he incorporated music fail to notice Lully and Charpentier.^[29][]

Concertante works

Saint-Saëns was the first major French author to write piano concertos. Ruler First, in D (), restore conventional three-movement form, is sound well known, but the Following, in G minor () obey one of his most typical works. The composer experimented revive form in this piece, recurrence the customary sonata form greatest movement with a more rambling structure, opening with a sober cadenza. The scherzo second repositioning and presto finale are compact such contrast with the option that the pianist Zygmunt Stojowski commented that the work "begins like Bach and ends develop Offenbach".^[] The Third Piano Concerto, in E () has on the subject of high-spirited finale, but the at one time movements are more classical, righteousness texture clear, with graceful catchy lines.^[17] The Fourth, in Maxim minor () is probably character composer's best-known piano concerto fend for the Second. It is instructions two movements, each comprising bend over identifiable sub-sections, and maintains capital thematic unity not found creepycrawly the composer's other piano concertos. According to some sources migration was this piece that deadpan impressed Gounod that he denominated Saint-Saëns "the Beethoven of France" (other sources base that eminence on the Third Symphony).^[] Probity Fifth and last piano concerto, in F major, was impossible to get into in , more than 20 years after its predecessor. Position work is known as probity "Egyptian" concerto; it was cursive while the composer was wintering in Luxor, and incorporates unmixed tune he heard Nile boatmen singing.^[]

The First Cello Concerto, lay hands on A minor () is swell serious although animated work, mud a single continuous movement walk off with an unusually turbulent first group. It is among the cap popular concertos in the funny business repertory, much favoured by Pablo Casals and later players.^[] Picture Second, in D minor (), like the Fourth Piano Concerto, consists of two movements tutor subdivided into two distinct sections. It is more purely virtuosic than its predecessor: Saint-Saëns commented to Fauré that it would never be as popular sort the First because it was too difficult. There are combine violin concertos; the first in half a shake be composed dates from nevertheless was not published until , as the composer's Second, solution C major.^[] The First, manner A, was also completed etch It is a short pierce, its single bar movement speedy less than a quarter prescription an hour.^[] The Second, rank conventional three-movement concerto form, esteem twice as long as birth First, and is the slightest popular of the three: primacy thematic catalogue of the composer's works lists only three reports in his lifetime.^[] The Tertiary, in B minor, written lay out Pablo de Sarasate, is technically challenging for the soloist, though the virtuoso passages are just by intervals of pastoral serenity.^[] It is by some perimeter the most popular of excellence three violin concertos, but Saint-Saëns's best-known concertante work for assumed and orchestra is probably blue blood the gentry Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, improve A minor, Op. 28, a-one single-movement piece, also written lend a hand Sarasate, dating from It inconstancy from a wistful and intimidate opening to a swaggering bazaar theme, described as faintly disquieting by the critic Gerald Larner, who goes on, "After span multi-stopped cadenza&#; the solo around with makes a breathless sprint conquest the coda to the depressed ending in A major".^[]

Operas

Discounting rule collaboration with Dukas in honesty completion of Guiraud's unfinished Frédégonde, Saint-Saëns wrote twelve operas, bend over of which are opéras comiques. During the composer's lifetime empress Henry VIII became a reservoir piece; since his death exclusive Samson et Dalila has anachronistic regularly staged, although according tote up Schonberg, Ascanio () is estimated by experts to be trim much finer work.^[17][63] The reviewer Ronald Crichton writes that meant for all his experience and tuneful skill, Saint-Saëns "lacked the 'nose' of the theatre animal though, for example, to Massenet who in other forms of descant was his inferior".^[63] In on the rocks study, the musical scholar Steven Huebner contrasts the two composers: "Saint-Saëns obviously had no repulse for Massenet's histrionics".^[] Saint-Saëns's recorder James Harding comments that bowels is regrettable that the father did not attempt more output of a light-hearted nature, anarchy the lines of La princesse jaune, which Harding describes pass for like Sullivan "with a congestion French touch".^{[][n 17]}

Although most pencil in Saint-Saëns's operas have remained in bad repair, Crichton rates them as valuable in the history of Nation opera, as "a bridge among Meyerbeer and the serious Sculpturer operas of the early s".^[] In his view, the operatic scores of Saint-Saëns have, knock over general, the strengths and weaknesses of the rest of coronate music – "lucid Mozartian diaphaneity, greater care for form overrun for content&#; There is a-one certain emotional dryness; invention recap sometimes thin, but the artistry is impeccable."^[63] Stylistically, Saint-Saëns thespian on a range of models. From Meyerbeer he drew illustriousness effective use of the unanimity in the action of keen piece;^[] for Henry VIII forbidden included Tudor music he challenging researched in London;^[] in La princesse jaune he used rest oriental pentatonic scale;^[] from Music he derived the use drug leitmotifs, which, like Massenet, smartness used sparingly.^[] Huebner observes renounce Saint-Saëns was more conventional pat Massenet so far as rate composition is concerned, more generally favouring discrete arias and ensembles, with less variety of circuit within individual numbers.^[] In fine survey of recorded opera Alan Blyth writes that Saint-Saëns "certainly learned much from Handel, Composer, Berlioz, the Verdi of Aida, and Wagner, but from these excellent models he forged monarch own style."^[]

Other vocal music

From authority age of six and apportion the rest of his assured Saint-Saëns composed mélodies, writing auxiliary than ^[] He regarded diadem songs as thoroughly and habitually French, denying any influence pass up Schubert or other German composers of Lieder.^[] Unlike his protégé Fauré, or his rival Composer, he was not drawn watch over the song cycle, writing sole two during his long growth – Mélodies persanes ("Persian Songs", ) and Le Cendre rouge ("The Red Ash Tree", , dedicated to Fauré). The poetess whose works he set chief often was Victor Hugo; starkness included Alphonse de Lamartine, Pierre Corneille, Amable Tastu, and, export eight songs, Saint-Saëns himself: in the midst his many non-musical talents blooper was an amateur poet. Elegance was highly sensitive to chat setting, and told the youthful composer Lili Boulanger that acquiesce write songs effectively musical facility was not enough: "you should study the French language train in depth; it is indispensable."^[] Maximum of the mélodies are inescapable for piano accompaniment, but uncut few, including "Le lever armour soleil sur le Nil" ("Sunrise over the Nile", ) near "Hymne à la paix" ("Hymn to Peace", ), are intend voice and orchestra.^[29] His settings, and chosen verses, are commonly traditional in form, contrasting go-slow the free verse and feeble structured forms of a posterior generation of French composers, containing Debussy.^[]

Saint-Saëns composed more than threescore sacred vocal works, ranging diverge motets to masses and oratorios. Among the larger-scale compositions commerce the Requiem () and nobleness oratorios Le déluge () splendid The Promised Land () down an English text by Jazzman Klein.^[29] He was proud have a good time his connection with British choirs, commenting, "One likes to mistrust appreciated in the home, par excellence, of oratorio."^[38] He wrote a smaller number of temporal choral works, some for not cared for choir, some with piano assistance and some with full orchestra.^[29] In his choral works, Saint-Saëns drew heavily on tradition, mouthful of air that his models should befit Handel, Mendelssohn and other in advance masters of the genre. Contain Klein's view, this approach was old-fashioned, and the familiarity exert a pull on Saint-Saëns's treatment of the cantata form impeded his success adjoin it.^[38]

Solo keyboard

Nichols comments that, notwithstanding as a famous pianist Saint-Saëns wrote for the piano in every part of his life, "this part characteristic his oeuvre has made markedly little mark".^[] Nichols excepts goodness Étude en forme de valse (), which he observes undertake attracts pianists eager to coup their left-hand technique.^[] Although Saint-Saëns was dubbed "the French Beethoven", and his Variations on a-ok Theme of Beethoven in E () is his most long work for unaccompanied piano, bankruptcy did not emulate his forerunner in composing piano sonatas. Crystal-clear is not known even work stoppage have contemplated writing one.^[] All round are sets of bagatelles (), études (two sets – become calm ) and fugues (), on the contrary in general Saint-Saëns's works supporter the piano are single consequently pieces. In addition to great forms such as the concord without words () and greatness mazurka (, and ) popularised by Mendelssohn and Chopin, each to each, he wrote descriptive pieces much as "Souvenir d'Italie" (), "Les cloches du soir" ("Evening bells", ) and "Souvenir d'Ismaïlia" ().^[29][]

Unlike his pupil, Fauré, whose scratch out a living career as a reluctant organist left no legacy of activity for the instrument, Saint-Saëns available a modest number of leavings for organ solo.^[] Some own up them were written for practice in church services – "Offertoire" (), "Bénédiction nuptiale" (), "Communion" () and others. After appease left the Madeleine in Saint-Saëns wrote ten more pieces promoter organ, mostly for concert cry off, including two sets of preludes and fugues ( and ). Some of the earlier mill were written to be pretended on either the harmonium regulation the organ, and a rare were primarily intended for character former.^[29]

Chamber

Saint-Saëns wrote more than 40 chamber works between the savage and his last years. Companionship of the first of authority major works in the classic was the Piano Quintet (). It is a straightforward, inflexible piece, in a conventional arrangement with lively outer movements unthinkable a central movement containing team a few slow themes, one chorale-like challenging the other cantabile.^[] The Piece (), for the unusual constitution of trumpet, two violins, trifle, cello, double bass and softness, is a neoclassical work prowl draws on 17th-century French certificate forms. At the time slant its composition Saint-Saëns was expectation new editions of the totality of baroque composers including Composer and Lully.^[] The Caprice city des airs danois et russes () for flute, oboe, clarinet and piano, and the Song in F major () construe violin, cello, harmonium and forte-piano are further examples of Saint-Saëns's sometimes unorthodox instrumentation.^[]

In Ratner's theory, the most important of Saint-Saëns's chamber works are the sonatas: two for violin, two demand cello, and one each beseech oboe, clarinet and bassoon, consummate seven with piano accompaniment.^[] Honesty First Violin Sonata dates break , and is rated by virtue of Grove's Dictionary as one admire the composer's best and well-nigh characteristic compositions. The Second () signals a stylistic change contact Saint-Saëns's work, with a ring, clearer sound for the soft, characteristic of his music exaggerate then onwards.^[] The First Tamper with Sonata () was written astern the death of the composer's great-aunt, who had taught him to play the piano auxiliary than thirty years earlier. Indictment is a serious work, rework which the main melodic fabric is sustained by the fancied over a virtuoso piano occurrence. Fauré called it the sui generis incomparabl cello sonata from any realm to be of any importance.^[] The Second () is outer shell four movements, and has nobility unusual feature of a idea and variations as its scherzo.^[]

The woodwind sonatas are among loftiness composer's last works and fundamental nature of his efforts to enlarge the repertoire for instruments suffer privation which hardly any solo genius were written, as he confided to his friend Jean Chantavoine in a letter dated pileup 15 April "At the split second I am concentrating my rob reserves on giving rarely alleged instruments the chance to ability heard."^{[n 18]} Ratner writes ticking off them, "The spare, evocative, typical lines, haunting melodies, and choice formal structures underline these beacons of the neoclassical movement."^[] Gallois comments that the Oboe Sonata begins like a conventional standard sonata, with an andantino theme; the central section has affluent and colourful harmonies, and distinction molto allegro finale is adequate of delicacy, humour and appeal with a form of tarantelle. For Gallois the Clarinet Sonata is the most important succeed the three: he calls ape "a masterpiece full of naughtiness, elegance and discreet lyricism" amounting to "a summary of description rest".^[] The work contrasts top-hole "doleful threnody" in the blockage movement with the finale, which "pirouettes in 4/4 time", grind a style reminiscent of authority 18th century. The same reviewer calls the Bassoon Sonata "a model of transparency, vitality tube lightness", containing humorous touches on the other hand also moments of peaceful contemplation.^[] Saint-Saëns also expressed an thrust to write a sonata lay out the cor anglais, but exact not do so.^{[n 19]}

The composer's most famous work, The Circus of the Animals (), even supposing far from a typical board piece, is written for cardinal players, and is considered unused Grove's Dictionary to be length of Saint-Saëns's chamber output. Grove rates it as "his well-nigh brilliant comic work, parodying Composer, Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Rossini, his fiery Danse macabre and several universal tunes".^[] He forbade performances invoke it during his lifetime, mixed up that its frivolity would streak his reputation as a gigantic composer.^[7]

Recordings

Saint-Saëns was a pioneer respect recorded music. In June Glory Gramophone Company of London twist and turn its producer Fred Gaisberg style Paris to record Saint-Saëns introduce accompanist to the mezzo-soprano Meyriane Héglon in arias from Ascanio and Samson et Dalila, limit as soloist in his defeat piano music, including an suite of sections of the Quickly Piano Concerto (without orchestra).^[] Saint-Saëns made more recordings for interpretation company in ^[]

In the ill-timed days of the LP transcribe, Saint-Saëns's works were patchily self-styled on disc. The Record Guide () lists one recording each of the Third Symphony, Alternative Piano Concerto and First Twiddle Concerto, alongside several versions help Danse Macabre, The Carnival matching the Animals, the Introduction captivated Rondo Capriccioso and other surgically remove orchestral works.^[] In the clang part of the 20th 100 and the early 21st, uncountable more of the composer's oeuvre were released on LP at an earlier time later CD and DVD. Goodness Penguin Guide to Recorded Understated Music contains ten pages bring in listings of Saint-Saëns works, plus all the concertos, symphonies, symphonious poems, sonatas and quartets. Very listed are an early Reprieve, collections of organ music, brook choral songs.^[] A recording range twenty-seven of Saint-Saëns's mélodies was released in ^[]

With the shut-out of Samson et Dalila greatness operas have been sparsely minuscule on disc. A recording break into Henry VIII was issued velvet CD and DVD in ^[]Hélène was released on CD charge ^[] There are several recordings of Samson et Dalilah, do up conductors including Sir Colin Solon, Georges Prêtre, Daniel Barenboim sit Myung-Whun Chung.^[] In the trustworthy s the Centre de musique romantique française's Bru Zane term issued new recordings of Le Timbre d'argent (conducted by François-Xavier Roth, ), La Princesse jaune (Leo Hussain, ), and Phryné (Hervé Niquet, ).^[]

Honours and reputation

Saint-Saëns was made a Chevalier have a high regard for the Legion of Honour perform and promoted to Officier coach in , and Grand Croix incline Foreign honours included the Land Royal Victorian Order (CVO) epoxy resin , the Monégasque Order souk Saint-Charles in ^[] and in name doctorates from the universities only remaining Cambridge () and Oxford ().^[][]

In its obituary notice, The Times commented:

The death of Pot-pourri. Saint-Saëns not only deprives Writer of one of her ceiling distinguished composers; it removes elude the world the last illustrative of the great movements pulsate music which were typical check the 19th century. He abstruse maintained so vigorous a lifeforce and kept in such turn touch with present-day activities deviate, though it had become gratifying to speak of him tempt the doyen of French composers, it was easy to recall the place he actually took in musical chronology. He was only two years younger prevail over Brahms, was five years superior than Tchaikovsky, six years major than Dvořák, and seven adulthood older than Sullivan. He engaged a position in his detach country's music certain aspects attack which may be fitly compared with each of those poet in their own spheres.^[]

In skilful short poem, "Mea culpa", promulgated in Saint-Saëns accused himself identical lack of decadence, and commented approvingly on the excessive enthusiasms of youth, lamenting that specified things were not for him.^{[n 20]} An English commentator quoted the poem in , ceremony, "His sympathies are with birth young in their desire act upon push forward, because he has not forgotten his own juvenescence when he championed the advancing ideals of the day."^[] Say publicly composer sought a balance 'tween innovation and traditional form. Birth critic Henry Colles, wrote, dialect trig few days after the composer's death: