# Saint-Saëns



## ladyrebecca (Mar 19, 2009)

I heard Lise de la Salle perform Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 2 with the BSO last week, and aside from the excellent performance from the young pianist, I was thrilled by Saint-Saëns. I've since listened to several Naxos issues of Saint-Saëns recordings and was very pleased. I guess the well known ones seem to be Symphony No. 3 and Violin Concerto No. 3. What other favorites of his do folks recommend? Any recommended recordings? He seems to get less frequently recorded. I wonder why that is.


----------



## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Saint Saens was a composer of note, and certainly very talented. I do not however think he is at the level of genius, and many of his works are great they, but they are not the same genius.. if you know what i mean?

Anyway, his 5th piano concerto was written in egypt, its quite enjoyable.

Dont forget carnival of the animals either.


----------



## dmg (Sep 13, 2009)

*Danse Macabre* (Op. 40) is one of my all-time favorite pieces of music. His *Havanaise in E Major *(Op. 83) is also quite enjoyable.

Also check out his *Oratorio de Noel *(Op. 12) if you're into choral music, and *Samson et Dalila* (Op. 47) if you're into opera.


----------



## Fsharpmajor (Dec 14, 2008)

It's frustrating how little of his music is available in shops here. All there is is multiple recordings of
Danse Macabre, the Bacchanale, the 3rd Symphony and Carnival of the Animals. I am planning on ordering some of the Naxos CDs so I would be interested in hearing people's opinions on them.


----------



## Taneyev (Jan 19, 2009)

His first violin sonata (Heifetz-Bay) is IMO one of the most beautiful romantic one ever written. His third violin and first cell concertos are standard works of every player.His symphonic poems and Suite Algerienne
are splendid pieces. His many piano pieces (that nobody ever plays) are fantastic.


----------



## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I'd say generally he was quite a conservative composer who didn't push the boundaries much, but I agree that his *piano concertos *are probably his most satisfying works to listen to. I don't have much patience with his other orchestral works - too much surface gloss, mundane and even banal ideas, and little thematic development.


----------



## Taneyev (Jan 19, 2009)

Well Andre, the question is that he wasn't German, but French. Thank God, no all composers are Germans.


----------

