The Man Behind the Music
Donald Macleod looks at the playful side of Saint-Saens’s character, which reveals itself in some of his most popular and enduring music.
Donald Macleod looks at the playful side of Saint-Saëns’ character which he kept under wraps in public, yet amongst friends and in private correspondence he sparkled with wit. The face Saint-Saëns presented to his audiences was rather grim and gave no hint of the mischievous sense of humour which lay beneath yet is dazzlingly revealed in some of his best-loved music most notably his famous zoological suite in which he happily sends up both himself and his fellow-composers.
La Cigale et la Fourmi
François le Roux, baritone
Graham Johnson, piano
Wedding Cake Waltz
Stephen Hough, piano
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo, conductor
La Coccinelle
Suzette et Suzon
Tournoiement ‘Songe d’opium’
François le Roux, baritone
Graham Johnson, piano
Six Studies for the Left Hand, Op 135 (Nos 4, 5 & 6)
Piers Lane, piano
Le Carnaval des Animaux
Louis Lortie, piano
Hélène Mercier, piano
Truls Mørk, cello
Alasdair Malloy, glass harmonica
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Neeme Järvi, conductor
Produced by Deborah Preston for Â鶹Éç Wales
Last on
Music Played
-
Camille Saintâ€Saëns
La cigale et la fourmi
Performer: Graham Johnson. Singer: François Le Roux.- Hyperion: CDA66856.
- Hyperion.
- 17.
-
Camille Saintâ€Saëns
Valse-Caprice in A flat major, Op 76
Performer: Sir Stephen Hough. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.- Hyperion : CDA67331 2.
- Hyperion.
- 10.
-
Camille Saintâ€Saëns
La coccinelle
Performer: Graham Johnson. Singer: François Le Roux.- Hyperion: CDA66856.
- Hyperion.
- 7.
-
Camille Saintâ€Saëns
Suzette et Suzon
Performer: Graham Johnson. Singer: François Le Roux.- Hyperion: CDA66856.
- Hyperion.
- 23.
-
Camille Saintâ€Saëns
Tournoiement (Melodies Persanes, Op 26)
Performer: Graham Johnson. Singer: François Le Roux.- Hyperion: CDA66856.
- Hyperion.
- 15.
-
Camille Saintâ€Saëns
6 Studies for piano left hand, Op 135
Performer: Piers Lane.- Hyperion CDA67037.
- Hyperion.
- 19.
-
Camille Saintâ€Saëns
Le Carnaval des Animaux
Performer: Louis Lortie. Performer: Hélène Mercier. Performer: Truls Mørk. Performer: Alasdair Malloy. Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.- Chandos CHSA5162.
- Chandos.
- 6.
Broadcast
- Wed 5 Dec 2018 12:00Â鶹Éç Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed – the box set
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Composers A to Z
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.