Camille Saint-Saëns
A French musical prodigy who composed with dazzling clarity and wit, bridging the grand Romantic era with the sparkle of the early 20th century.
1835–1921 (age 86)·French composer·Birthday: October 9
Biography
Camille Saint-Saëns was a child phenomenon in Paris, giving his first piano recital at ten with a program that included a Beethoven sonata from memory. His career unfolded as a brilliant contradiction: a staunch classicist in an age of Romantic excess, yet a composer capable of the wild pictorialism of 'Danse macabre' and the charming zoological fantasy of 'The Carnival of the Animals'. For over two decades, he held the prestigious post of organist at the Église de la Madeleine, his improvisations astonishing listeners. A tireless traveler and intellectual, he wrote on science, philosophy, and theater, his music always marked by impeccable craftsmanship and a certain Gallic elegance. In his later years, he became a defender of French musical traditions, co-founding the Société Nationale de Musique to promote new work, even as his own style remained firmly and beautifully his own.
#1 When Camille Was Born
The biggest hits of 1835
Camille's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1835Born
1840Started school
1848Became a teenager
1851Could drive
1853Could vote
1856Turned 21
1865Turned 30
President: Andrew Johnson
1875Turned 40
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1885Turned 50
Karl Benz builds the first gasoline-powered automobile
President: Grover Cleveland
1895Turned 60
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1905Turned 70
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1915Turned 80
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Died at 86
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
Key Achievements
- Composed the opera 'Samson and Delilah', a staple of the French operatic repertoire known for its lush arias like 'Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix'.
- Wrote his Third Symphony, the 'Organ' Symphony, a monumental two-movement work that remains one of his most popular and powerful creations.
- Served as the principal organist at the Church of La Madeleine in Paris from 1858 to 1877, renowned for his virtuosic improvisations.
- Co-founded the Société Nationale de Musique in 1871 to champion the works of living French composers.
- Produced a vast and varied catalog including five piano concertos, three violin concertos, two cello concertos, and twelve operas.
Did You Know?
He made his public debut as a pianist at the age of five.
He was an early advocate for the music of Liszt and Mozart at a time when the latter was somewhat out of fashion in France.
He vehemently forbade public performances of his humorous suite 'The Carnival of the Animals' during his lifetime, fearing it would damage his serious reputation.
He was a keen amateur astronomer and built his own telescope.
He traveled extensively, including to Algeria, South America, and Southeast Asia, often incorporating exotic influences into his music.
“The artist who does not feel completely satisfied by elegant lines, by harmonious colors, and by a beautiful succession of chords does not understand the art of music.”
