Once described as the French Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns was a talented and precocious child, with interests by no means confined to music. He made an early impression as a pianist. Following established French tradition, he was for nearly twenty years organist at the Madeleine in Paris and taught at the Ecole Niedermeyer, where he befriended his pupil Gabriel Fauré. Prolific and versatile as a composer, by the time of his death in 1921 his popularity in France had diminished very considerably, as fashions in music changed.
Operas
The best known of the thirteen operas completed by Saint-Saëns is Samson et Dalila, a romantic treatment of the biblical story
Vocal and Choral Music
Saint-Saëns wrote a number of sacred and secular choral works and made a considerable contribution to the body of French solo song.
Orchestral Music
The third of the three numbered symphonies of Saint-Saëns, the so-called "Organ" Symphony, so named from the use of the instrument in the work, is the best known. Other popular orchestral works include Le Rouet d'Omphale (Omphale's Wheel) and Danse macabre.
Chamber Music
Saint-Saëns was equally prolific in his provision of chamber music, with a series of duo sonatas, including two violin sonatas, two cello sonatas and a variety of other pieces. His Carnival of the Animals, often heard in more expanded form, was in origin a private joke for the enjoyment of the composer's friends.
