Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

A child prodigy later hailed by Liszt as "the greatest organist in the world," Camille Saint-Saëns led a fascinating life filled to the brim with music. We will sample his five symphonies, five piano concertos, operas, operettas, incidental music, and chamber music, as well as many piano and solo organ works. Bill’s playlist will delight you, including the Carnival of The Animals performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy, with solo pianists Claude Frank and Lillian Kallir.

Week of January 13, 2024

Monday, January 13

Tuesday, January 14

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22,(excerpt), I.
Royal Concergebouw Orchestra/Neeme Järvi; Davidovich, piano
Piano Concerto No. 2 / Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini
Phil 410 052
2:45

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Tarantelle For Flute, Clarinet And Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Geoffrey Simon
Volume One
CACD 1015
5:44

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22, II. III.
Royal Concergebouw Orchestra/Neeme Järvi; Davidovich, piano
Piano Concerto No. 2 / Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini
Phil 410 052
12:32

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33
London Symphony Orchestra/Antal Doráti; János Starker, violoncello
Cello Concerto In A Minor, Op. 129 / Cello Concerto In D Minor /
Cello Concerto In A Minor, Op. 33
Mercury 432 010
18:38

Saint-Saëns, Camille: “Danse Macabre”
Jean-Philippe Collard, piano; José Van Dam, bass baritone
Mélodies françaises, Vol. II
EMI 7243 5 73314 2 5
2:11

Saint-Saëns, Camille: "Danse Macabre"
National Philharmonic Orchestra/Leopold Stokowski; Sidney Sax, violin
Stokowski Showcase
EMI 64140
7:12

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Cello Concerto No. 1 In A Minor, Op. 33 II.
London Symphony Orchestra/Antal Doráti; János Starker, violoncello
Cello Concerto In A Minor, Op. 129 - Cello Concerto In A Minor, Op. 33
Mercury 432 010
3:09 (excerpt)

Wednesday, January 15

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Henry VIII Ouverture (excerpt)
Orchestre Lyrique Français/Guingal
Henry VIII
Chant du Monde 1083/85
1:46

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Samson et Dalila; Act 1
London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Colin Davis
José Cura, tenor; Olga Borodina, mezzo soprano
Samson & Dalila
Erato 24756
3:26

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Samson et Dalila

 "Printemps qui commence"
London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Colin Davis
José Cura, tenor; Olga Borodina, mezzo soprano
Samson & Dalila
Erato 24756
6:18

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Samson et Dalila
“Mon c�ur s’ouvre à ta voix”
London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Colin Davis;
Olga Borodina, mezzo soprano
Samson & Dalila
Erato 24756
6:19

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Samson et Dalila
Danse Bacchanale
London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Colin Davis
José Cura, tenor; Olga Borodina, mezzo soprano
Samson & Dalila
Erato 24756
6:35

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Henry VIII (excerpts)
Orchestre Lyrique Français/Guingal; Rouillon & Laiter, vocals
Henry VIII
Chant du Monde 1083/85
1:46; 2:52

Henry the VIII: "I Am" (excerpt)
Herman’s Hermits
The Best Of Herman's Hermits
MGM Records E4315
0:40

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Messe de Requiem, I. II.
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Simon
Volume One
Cala CACD1015
13:24

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Ascanio - Valse
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Simon
Volume One
Cala CACD1015
3:15

Thursday, January 16

Saint-Saëns, Camille: "Carnival of The Animals" (excerpt)
Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy; Claude Frank and Lillian Kallir, pianos
Peter And The Wolf - Carnival of The Animals
Sony 62638
0:14

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Morceau De Concert in F Minor, 

Op. 94 Allegro; Allegro Non Troppo
Leipzig Gewandhaus/Kurt Masur; Baumann, horn
Horn Concerto
Philips 416380
8:38

Offenbach, Jacques: "Can Can" (excerpt)
Metropolitan Philharmonic
Musique Classique 50
Halison Music
0:20

Berlioz, Hector: The Damnation of Faust (excerpt) 

Dance of the Sylphs
London Symphony Orchestra/Davis
London Symphony Orchestra Ltd
0:18

Saint-Saëns, Camille: "Carnival of The Animals"
Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy; Claude Frank and Lillian Kallir, pianos
Peter And The Wolf - Carnival of The Animals
Sony 62638
20:23

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61, I. II.
New York Philharmonic/Dimitri Mitropoulos; Francescati, violin
Great Violin Concertos
Sony Masterworks Heritage 62339
15:32

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Romance in F, Op. 36
Steven Isserlis, violoncello; Francis Grier, piano
Cello Concerto No. 1 � Sonata No. 1 � Romances
> RCA 61678
2:50

Saint-Saëns, Camille: "Carnival of The Animals"
Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy; Claude Frank & Lillian Kallir, pianos
Peter And The Wolf - Carnival of The Animals
Sony 62638
1:20

Friday, January 17

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Piano Concerto No. 4, IV.
New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Bernstein; R. Casadesus, piano
Concerto No. 4 For Piano And Orchestra - Three Preludes
RCA 6377
7:35

Saint-Saëns, Camille: Symphony No.3 in C Minor, Op. 78
"The Organ Symphony"
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/James Levine; Preston, organ
Symphony No.3 "Organ" - L'Apprenti Sorcier
DG 419617
36:04

Saint-Saëns, Camille: “Le Rossignol et la Rose”
Berlin Symphony Orchestra/Michael Schonwandt; Dessay, soprano
Camille Saint-Saëns Edition
Warner Classics 0190296746048
3:43