# Saint-Saëns - Symphony No. 3 ("Organ Symphony")



## HansZimmer (11 mo ago)

I've just launched a new poll for my competition in the Movie Corner: Best Original Musical or Comedy Score - 1996 


How do you rate the symphony no. 3 of Saint-Saëns?


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Excellent. It was one of the first CD's I bought, a few months after I started listening to classical music (talking mid 80's here). I still remember the shock when I first heard the grand tune on the organ - because I knew that melody from a #1 hit in the pop charts a decade earlier (If I Had Words by Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley). In spite of this, it was love at first hearing for this symphony and that has not changed. 6/6 (hors concours, one of just over 100 most favourite classical music compositions) on the Artrockometer.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I've loved this work for decades - excellent.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

One of the best 19th c symphonies by any one. Terrifically entertaining from start to finish. Just get a good cd, a nice French red wine, crank up the surround system and let it rip! Munch/Boston, Paray/Detroit, Dutoit, Maazel...there are plenty of excellent recordings. But the one closest to my heart: E Power Biggs, Ormandy, Philadelphia on Sony - the stereo version.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

It's a brilliant piece in its way but I never cared very much for it, Seems gimmicky overall with the piano and organ mostly for "cheap effects". (I guess I am too much of a Brahmsian....)


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## PeterKC (Dec 30, 2016)

Kreisler jr said:


> It's a brilliant piece in its way but I never cared very much for it, Seems gimmicky overall with the piano and organ mostly for "cheap effects". (I guess I am too much of a Brahmsian....)





Kreisler jr said:


> It's a brilliant piece in its way but I never cared very much for it, Seems gimmicky overall with the piano and organ mostly for "cheap effects". (I guess I am too much of a Brahmsian....)


Brilliantly creative, YES. Gimmicky?....NO! St. Saens was amongst the most conservative of his day, though a consummate artist. You also must remember he was one of the greatest organists of his day.


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## Monsalvat (11 mo ago)

I'm absolutely a big Brahmsian and perhaps this is why I've neglected this piece... I'm aware of Karajan/Cochereau, Levine/Preston, and Munch's BSO recording. I have nothing against it, it's just something I've listened to frequently enough. As an organist, I should probably develop more of an appreciation for a work that showcases my instrument.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

IIRC Levine/DG is one of the few with the organ actually in the same hall, not dubbed in as usual. I don't dislike the piece but neither would I miss it if I never heard it again.


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## REP (Dec 8, 2011)

I enjoy it. It's one of the first pieces that come to mind when I think of works for organ and orchestra (along with Mahler 8 and the Intermezzo from _Cavalleria Rusticana_). If the organ weren't such a venue-limiting factor, we would probably hear this piece performed a lot more frequently.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

It's an excellent work, but I don't rank it amongst Saint-Saëns' best works. I do enjoy it whenever I listen to it, though.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

It's an outstanding piece in my view, my favorite of all works I know by Saint-Saëns. I greatly enjoy all it's movements, but particularly the second. Purely in terms of my personal taste, I put this piece roughly at the same level of Beethoven's _Pastoral_ symphony with Bernstein/Vienna PO, Dvorák's _From the New World_ symphony with Karajan/Berlin PO, Mahler's _Resurrection_ symphony with Klemperer, Schwarzkopf/Philharmonia O, and Pink Floyd's _The Dark Side of the Moon_ album: a 9.0 out of 10!


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Xisten267 said:


> It's an outstanding piece in my view, my favorite of all works I know by Saint-Saëns. I greatly enjoy all it's movements, but particularly the second. Purely in terms of my personal taste, I put this piece roughly at the same level of Beethoven's _Pastoral_ symphony with Bernstein/Vienna PO, Dvorák's _From the New World_ symphony with Karajan/Berlin PO, Mahler's _Resurrection_ symphony with Klemperer, Schwarzkopf/Philharmonia O, and Pink Floyd's _The Dark Side of the Moon_ album: a 9.0 out of 10!



This begs the question: how well do you know Saint-Saëns' oeuvre?


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## EvaBaron (Jan 3, 2022)

From the works I know of Saint Saens (all orchestral music, and not even all of that), it’s my favourite work. I read a quote somewhere that Saint Saens said basically that this was his Magnum Opus. I’m not sure if that’s true yet but I can’t imagine another work of his trumping the enjoyment I get from listening to this masterpiece. It is one of the my favourite works. I imprinted on Munch, an excellent performance, but marred by the sound quality. Normally I am fine with anything stereo but this is not one of the better earlier stereo recordings and this work also requires good sonics I believe. So my preference goes out to Barenboim, just as excellent in interpretation as Munch and way better recorded. Also on the same album you get the easily best version of the Danse Bacchanale, but instead with the orchestre de Paris instead of the Chicago symphony orchestra. Levine I find a little too slow and old school for my tastes. This is the piece that is one the top of my bucket list to see live. Let’s pray the RCO programs it in next season


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I voted : Excellent. The recording de Waart made with Jean Guillou (organ) and the San Francisco Symphony orchestra is my all time favourite, these days I am very fond on Kantorow on BIS.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Rogerx said:


> I voted : Excellent. The recording de Waart made with Jean Guillou (organ) and the San Francisco Symphony orchestra is my all time favourite, these days I am very fond on Kantorow on BIS.


Have you heard this one, @Rogerx?










This particular set is now my reference for the Saint-Saëns symphonies. Superb playing and audio quality!


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Neo Romanza said:


> Have you heard this one, @Rogerx?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes I did , nothing wrong with it , that said , so many good ones out there, I will dig them up one of these days and compare a few again.


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## Nielsen4theWin (2 mo ago)

Oh, I really love this one! I'm a big fan of how that little theme prefigured in the accompaniment of the first section of the exposition of the first movement keeps coming back in various guises, transforming before the listener's ear slowly but surely before finally entering in all its glory at the gorgeous passage with piano and strings. One of the very best uses of cyclic form, in my eyes.

And given Saint-Saens' little experiments earlier to adopt some kind of cyclic treatment of melodies, most notably in the Piano Concerto n. 4, I feel the self-declared "magnum opus" title really does apply here pretty well. I've listened to all the concertos and the trios and the quintets, (some of) the operas, the Christmas oratorio, the Requiem mass... and there is something here which just feels a little bit better expressed. I have no real substantiation for this feeling, just the feeling itself. 

I really like Munch and Barenboim, but there are so many other lovely recordings out there. There are also a lot of rough ones too, though, so it takes some sifting to make sure you've not stumbled anywhere too far afield.

What Dvorak's 7th is to the Czech music scene (that sort of first big-deal internationally acclaimed blockbuster symphony), I feel like Saint-Saens 3 (without casting aspersions on d'Indy or Bizet) is to the French. Of course Berlioz wrote a few corkers, but that was fifty years prior. That Franck and Chausson wrote theirs so soon afterwards is particularly interesting to me. I like those two as well, and feel like they are a sort of natural continuation for listeners who enjoy the Saint-Saens.


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## Georgieva (7 mo ago)

Excellent! Thanks for sharing


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Very Good, an enjoyable and inventive work. I would endorse the recommendations for Barenboim's recording with the Chicago Symphony.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Neo Romanza said:


> This begs the question: how well do you know Saint-Saëns' oeuvre?


I know all his symphonies and concertos, plus some other orchestral music (including _Le Carnaval des Animaux_) and chamber music, the requiem and the opera _Samson et Dalila_.


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

I wish most of conductors didn't take the final timpani strokes too fast. For me it works better when that specific moment is not rushed, it feels more majestic and imposing. Actually, now I've come to think, I'm not aware of any recording with that moment taken truly right.


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## That Guy Mick (May 31, 2020)

HansZimmer said:


> I've just launched a new poll for my competition in the Movie Corner: Best Original Musical or Comedy Score - 1996
> 
> 
> How do you rate the symphony no. 3 of Saint-Saëns?


I must confess that I have not developed an appreciation for the organ. Perhaps too much association with Catholic mass ceremonies as a youngster. Those dull hours of sermons while whiffing the strange and unnatural essence of insense. Which never smelled like the woodlands that I enjoyed exploring.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

That Guy Mick said:


> I must confess that I have not developed an appreciation for the organ. Perhaps too much association with Catholic mass ceremonies as a youngster. Those dull hours of sermons while whiffing the strange and unnatural essence of insense. Which never smelled like the woodlands that I enjoyed exploring.


I'm not a huge organ either but there are some exceptions and I do like it when the organ is used for textural effect.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

MusicSybarite said:


> I wish most of conductors didn't take the final timpani strokes too fast. For me it works better when that specific moment is not rushed, it feels more majestic and imposing. Actually, now I've come to think, I'm not aware of any recording with that moment taken truly right.


I know exactly what you mean: the very end, those timpani beats, just feels like it needs a ritardando to seal the deal and give a sense of finality. But here's the catch: there is NO ritard marked in the score! Was it an oversight or omission? Not a chance Saint-Saens was too careful and detailed composer to make that mistake and if you look at the last pages of the score he is very precise what he wants: tempo markings all over, stringendo, and even "don't rush" several times. He's very clear. So, those conductors who blaze on to the end without a slow down are correct!


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

mbhaub said:


> I know exactly what you mean: the very end, those timpani beats, just feels like it needs a ritardando to seal the deal and give a sense of finality. But here's the catch: there is NO ritard marked in the score! Was it an oversight or omission? Not a chance Saint-Saens was too careful and detailed composer to make that mistake and if you look at the last pages of the score he is very precise what he wants: tempo markings all over, stringendo, and even "don't rush" several times. He's very clear. So, those conductors who blaze on to the end without a slow down are correct!


Oh, very interesting, I didn't know that little detail. It's what the composer intended the way it should be done. Thank you.


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## brpaulandrew (Sep 30, 2011)

I think that the Symphony is great and have multiple recordings with Munch/BSO as a favorite. I'm the Abbey organist, so I'm not very objective on the work. I've heard it twice in concert. Once with a community orchestra but with a real organ, the other with the St. Louis SO and a digital organ.


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## PeterKC (Dec 30, 2016)

brpaulandrew said:


> I think that the Symphony is great and have multiple recordings with Munch/BSO as a favorite. I'm the Abbey organist, so I'm not very objective on the work. I've heard it twice in concert. Once with a community orchestra but with a real organ, the other with the St. Louis SO and a digital organ.


Do you have the KC recording with Krabill on Reference?


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

If I were to pick a favorite performance of this symphony, it would be Eugene Ormandy with the Philadelphians (w/ organist E. Power Biggs):










Earlier last year, I bought the Japanese DSD remaster of this recording and was blown away by it (it's coupled with an equally impressive account of the Ravel orchestration of Mussorgsky's _Pictures at an Exhibition_). For those that love Japanese remasters, don't hesitate to buy this one.


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