Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Camille Saint‑Saëns, a composer whose career was shaped as much by personality and circumstance as by precocious talent. Raised in Paris by strong‑minded women who recognised his gifts early, Saint‑Saëns grew into a formidable pianist and an alert observer of the musical world around him. He moved easily through the city’s salons, where reputations were made, ideas exchanged, and music absorbed as a social force as much as an art. Alongside influential relationships, including a lasting creative bond with Gabriel Fauré, Saint‑Saëns was drawn into a life increasingly shaped by travel.

Music featured includes:

Danse macabre, Op. 40

Calme des nuits (Deux Chœurs, Op. 68 No. 1)

Violin Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 75

Oratorio de Noël, Op. 12 (Movements 1–4)

Symphony No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 2

Tarantelle in A minor, Op. 6

Piano Quintet in A minor, Op. 14

Violin Concerto No. 1 in A major, Op. 20

Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22

Le timbre d’argent (extract)