Saint-Saëns, Camille (1835 - 1921)

[LeMartinPecheur]

one only needs an inventive concert manager.....

Only?

[richardfinegold]

It isn't that difficult to program, as there are some nice other violin+orchestra pieces by Saint Saens to "fill the gap": Introduction and Rondo op.28, the Havanaise op.83, Caprice andalous op.122 and the Romances opp.37 and 48.
almost spoiled for choice IMVHO, one only needs an inventive concert manager.....

I never seem to encounter the shorter Violin works, such as the Introduction and Rondo or Havanaise, on programs any more. Combining them with a short Concerto would make sense.

[EdgeleyRob]

an inventive concert manager.....

Where are they all ?

[Barbirollians]

I never seem to encounter the shorter Violin works, such as the Introduction and Rondo or Havanaise, on programs any more. Combining them with a short Concerto would make sense.

Very true . Ida Haendel used to play them superbly .

One or other is an ideal companion for Chausson's poeme for example and Janine Jansen surely could have slipped one or the other into the Last Night programme .

[Dave2002]

One "problem" with quite a lot of the music by Saint-Saëns is that many of the pieces last twenty minutes or more. OK there are pieces such as the Romance for flute and orchestra which only last a few minutes, but if we consider works such as the piano concertos, each of them has a fairly lengthy first movement, followed by a few other movements typically lasting 5 or more minutes. The works take some while to "get into", and this means that they are not generally going to be candidates for radio programmes such as Essential Classics, or for stations such as Classic FM. The result is that composers such as Saint-Saëns are probably going to be given relatively little exposure in media outlets, with consequent less familiarity by much of the potential audience. Saint-Saëns is not by any means the only composer who suffers in this respect, but he is the one I'm currently investigating in somewhat greater depth.

After all, we know what we like, and like what we know!

Most pieces of merit require several hearings by any listener before a fuller appreciation can emerge.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I love playing his magnificent oboe sonata - written in in 1921, the year he died.

[Rolmill]

At the moment - prompted by this thread - I am listening to his string quartets played by the Miami String Quartet on the Conifer Classics label. A great CD which has been lurking on my shelves for some years - not often played. I do however, recommend this CD. Well-played and excellently recorded. It also has Faure's string quartet in E minor Op.121

Yes, I also have this CD, remember enjoying it when first bought, but haven't listened to it for ages - it seems as though this is S-S's frequent fate, as others have suggested. The piano trios mentioned above are also delightful (especially the later one in E minor) - I have these in very good performances on Naxos (I think by the Joachim Trio).

There are a number of concertante works which are seldom played, beyond the well-known violin pieces already noted. Examples include the three Morceaux de Concert written respectively for violin, french horn and harp, and especially the lovely "La Muse et le Poet" (excuse absence of accents) for violin and cello.

His music is always well crafted and tuneful, enjoyable in concert if only sporadically memorable.

I have the organ symphony Prom on my shortlist!

[pastoralguy]

Just heard a new recording of the S-S second 'cello concerto from Natalie Clein with the BBCSSO that's due out later this year. Lovely piece.

[visualnickmos]

Yes, I also have this CD, remember enjoying it when first bought, but haven't listened to it for ages - it seems as though this is S-S's frequent fate, as others have suggested. The piano trios mentioned above are also delightful (especially the later one in E minor) - I have these in very good performances on Naxos (I think by the Joachim Trio).

There are a number of concertante works which are seldom played, beyond the well-known violin pieces already noted. Examples include the three Morceaux de Concert written respectively for violin, french horn and harp, and especially the lovely "La Muse et le Poet" (excuse absence of accents) for violin and cello.

His music is always well crafted and tuneful, enjoyable in concert if only sporadically memorable.

I have the organ symphony Prom on my shortlist!

I have that same Naxos CD as well! I do share your thoughts on this much- forgotten Frenchman. But it does go to show that music - like much in art - does not necessarily have to be 'memorable' in order to make an impression. To be enjoyed in the moment, is perfectly fine by me!

[Nick Armstrong]

Happened to catch this yesterday afternoon, enjoyed it very much, although it went on a bit - should have been a 15 minute piece rather than 10 mns or so longer than that, imo

4.03pm
Saint-Saëns: La Muse et le poète Op.132, vers. for violin, cello and orchestra

Natalie Clein, cello

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Manze (conductor)

On a different related note, I heard while driving recently a France-Musique podcast about Stanford's Second Piano Concerto - interesting to hear the French perspective on Stanford, in discussion with the very fluent Finghin Collins who has recorded it. The presenter was drawing all sorts of parallels between Saint-Saens and Stanford, which was most interesting. (I've just found that I actually have the Stanford on CD, the Margaret Fingerhut performance on Chandos). The piece was very attractive on the ear in the same way as old Camille's works. Stanford is another composer (along with Glazunov) whom I would put in the same sort of 'category' as Saint-Saens.

[Lat-Literal]

The fourth and fifth piano concertos are not at all dull or nebulous. They are surprisingly attractive, full of interest, and have mystery as well as exoticism. Arguably, there are elements which were ahead of their time. Perhaps a part of the difficulty in categorising this composer is that he lived a long time. 1835 to 1921 is quite a span in musical terms and his music can reflect that range, in the later years in one take. Also, the fifth was written at the age of 61 and while highly accomplished it is fresh and sounds like it is the work of someone younger.

[Stanfordian]

One "problem" with quite a lot of the music by Saint-Saëns is that many of the pieces last twenty minutes or more. OK there are pieces such as the Romance for flute and orchestra which only last a few minutes, but if we consider works such as the piano concertos, each of them has a fairly lengthy first movement, followed by a few other movements typically lasting 5 or more minutes. The works take some while to "get into", and this means that they are not generally going to be candidates for radio programmes such as Essential Classics, or for stations such as Classic FM. The result is that composers such as Saint-Saëns are probably going to be given relatively little exposure in media outlets, with consequent less familiarity by much of the potential audience. Saint-Saëns is not by any means the only composer who suffers in this respect, but he is the one I'm currently investigating in somewhat greater depth.

After all, we know what we like, and like what we know!

Most pieces of merit require several hearings by any listener before a fuller appreciation can emerge.

I find Saint-Saëns' music easily accessible and often memorable, certainly never dull or nebulous to my ears. - He's one of my all time favourite composers - I have a large collection of Saint-Saëns works and I enjoy them all. I look forward to recordings of the lesser known operas.

I marvel that Saint-Saëns having one of the longest careers in music history. When he was born in 1835 Mendelssohn had still around twelve more years to live and Bernstein had been born some three years before Saint-Saëns died in Algiers in 1921.

[edashtav]

Saint-Saens was the same generation as Brahms, yet he knew Rossini well and was a friend of Victor Hugo. As a composer, Saint-Saens was fluent rather than profound. There are works worthy of revival and I'd like to see his 10 minute Scena for Soprano and Orchestra: La Fiancée de Timbalier op.82 given an occasional airing. It sets a tragic song by Hugo that tells of the story of a girl's hopes and dreams of life once her drummer boy returns from War. She attends the grand state Victory Procession and her hopes rise each time another gaggle of drummers come into her view. But... when the last bandsmen passes by, her hopes are finally dashed, and she she swoons and falls dead, her passing not even noted by the cheering crowd.

[gurnemanz]

Saint-Saens was the same generation as Brahms, yet he knew Rossini well and was a friend of Victor Hugo. As a composer, Saint-Saens was fluent rather than profound. There are works worthy of revival and I'd like to see his 10 minute Scena for Soprano and Orchestra: La Fiancée de Timbalier op.82 given an occasional airing. It sets a tragic song by Hugo that tells of the story of a girl's hopes and dreams of life once her drummer boy returns from War. She attends the grand state Victory Procession and her hopes rise each time another gaggle of drummers come into her view. But... when the last bandsmen passes by, her hopes are finally dashed, and she she swoons and falls dead, her passing not even noted by the cheering crowd.

There's a CD of his songs from François Le Roux and Graham Johnson on Hyperion. It includes a setting of Hugo's "Adieu Patrie" - an angry pro-republican reaction to Napoleon III's takeover in 1851. Unlikely song material maybe, dedicated to Pauline Viardot. It works pretty well. An excellent, well priced disc from Hyperion at £6.50 and a good-value 75 min playing time, with a wide variety of witty and entertaining song settings.

I'm really enjoying exploring the byways of 19th cent French mélodies - eg also Gounod, Lalo

[edashtav]

There's a CD of his songs from François Le Roux and Graham Johnson on Hyperion. It includes a setting of Hugo's "Adieu Patrie" - an angry pro-republican reaction to Napoleon III's takeover in 1851. Unlikely song material maybe, dedicated to Pauline Viardot. It works pretty well. An excellent, well priced disc from Hyperion at £6.50 and a good-value 75 min playing time, with a wide variety of witty and entertaining song settings.

I'm really enjoying exploring the byways of 19th cent French mélodies - eg also Gounod, Lalo

Thanks for pointing me in the direction of that Hyperion disc, gurnemanz.