
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Camille Saint-Saëns began as a child prodigy and was acclaimed in his lifetime as the incarnation of French genius. His was one of the longest careers in musical history, stretching from the traditions of Beethoven to the innovations of the twentieth century, including one of the earliest film scores. As a virtuoso pianist he achieved international fame, while Liszt proclaimed him the world's greatest organist.
A prolific composer, there is much more to him than his best-known work, the witty
Carnival of the Animals, of which he forbade performances in his lifetime. Among his most notable achievements are the opera
Samson et Delila and the Organ Symphony, while the
Danse Macabre, second piano concerto and first cello concerto remain much loved.
As a young man, he supported the 'new music' of Liszt, Wagner and Berlioz and introduced the symphonic poem into French music. He championed an up-and-coming generation of French composers, most notably Fauré, and played a unique part in transforming French taste from grand opera and operetta to the classical forms of symphony and chamber music, at the same time reviving interest in the music of Bach and Rameau.
His personal life was combative, tragic and surrounded by rumour: as a boy during the Revolution of 1848, serving as a National Guard in the war of 1870, and eventually becoming something of an icon of the Third Republic, used in diplomacy as a symbol of French culture.
This fascinating book (Chatto & Windus 1999) places his long and controversial career in a turbulent period when music, no less than politics, was undergoing sensational and often stormy change.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Table of Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- INTRODUCTION : Cypresses and Laurels
- 1 : A Child of the Bourgeois Monarchy
- 2 : The Conservatoire – Revolution and Repression
- 3 : The Parish Organist
- 4 : The Paris Organist
- 5 : An Artist’s Life
- 6 : Devastation, Seed Corn and Harvest
- 7 : Saint-Saëns ‘Agonistes’
- 8 : The Traveller with Lined Paper
- 9 : Collapse and Recovery
- 10 : A National Musician
- 11 : ‘I Would Like to be Idle but Have Not the Time’
- 12 : A Corsican Vendetta and Scholarly Polemics
- 13 : War Service at the Keyboard
- 14 : ‘I Have Mounted the Acropolis Myself’
- Bibliography
- Index
- Plates
- About the Author
- Copyright