Charles Camille Saint-Saëns
Born: 9th October 1835, Paris
Died: 16th December 1921, Algiers
Nationality: French
Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (UK: , US: , French: [ʃaʁl kamij sɛ̃sɑ̃(s)] 9 October 1835 – 16 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Second Piano Concerto (1868), the First Cello Concerto (1872), Danse macabre (1874), the opera Samson and Delilah (1877), the Third Violin Concerto (1880), the Third ("Organ") Symphony (1886) and The Carnival of the Animals (1886).
Saint-Saëns was a musical prodigy; he made his concert debut at the age of ten. After studying at the Paris Conservatoire he followed a conventional career as a church organist, first at Saint-Merri, Paris and, from 1858, La Madeleine, the official church of the French Empire. After leaving the post twenty years later, he was a successful freelance pianist and composer, in demand in Europe and the Americas.
Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Saint-Saëns
Browse: Saint-Saëns
Further Reading: Saint-Saëns
-
French orchestral favourites from John Wilson and Sinfonia of London
1st May 2026
A beautifully chosen and vividly performed collection of popular French pieces including Dukas's L'Apprenti sorcier, Saint-Saëns’s Danse macabre, suites from Bizet's Carmen, and Wilson's own orchestral transcription of Debussy's Clair de lune.
-
Pascal Rogé at 75
7th Apr 2026
The French pianist celebrates his 75th birthday this week, with a new album of Fauré and a career-spanning box set, both on Decca – the label to which he first signed at the age of eighteen. We look back on the career of a master of musical architecture who communicates affection without affectation.
Popular Genres: Saint-Saëns
Orchestral
Chamber
Instrumental
Opera
Concertos
Popular Works: Saint-Saëns
- Africa - Fantasie for piano & orchestra Op. 89 (22)
- Allegro Appassionato in B minor Op. 43 (60)
- Allegro appassionato, Op. 70 (22)
- Bassoon Sonata in G major, Op. 168 (34)
- Benediction Nuptiale in F major, Op. 9 (23)
- Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 33 (169)
- Cello Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 119 (23)
- Cello Sonata No. 1 in C minor Op. 32 (36)
- Clarinet Sonata in E flat major, Op. 167 (48)
- Danse macabre, Op. 40 (268)
- Etude en forme de valse (No. 6 from Six Études, Op. 52) (27)
- Fantaisie for violin & harp, Op. 124 (33)
- Fantaisie No. 1 for organ in E flat major (26)
- Havanaise, Op. 83 (111)
- Introduction & Rondo capriccioso, Op. 28 (232)
- Le carnaval des animaux (156)
- Le carnaval des animaux: Le Cygne (362)
- Le Rouet d'Omphale, Op. 31 (61)
- Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix (from Samson et Dalila) (80)
- Oboe Sonata in D major Op. 166 (30)
- Phaéton, Op. 39 (25)
- Piano Concerto No. 1 in D major Op. 17 (29)
- Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22 (100)
- Piano Concerto No. 3 in E-flat major Op. 29 (26)
- Piano Concerto No. 4 in C minor, Op. 44 (54)
- Piano Concerto No. 5 in F major, Op. 103 'Egyptian' (54)
- Preludes and Fugues (3), Op. 99 (23)
- Prière for cello & piano, Op. 158 (24)
- Printemps qui commence (from Samson et Dalila) (23)
- Rapsodie d'Auvergne, Op. 73 (22)
- Romance in D flat major, Op. 37 (45)
- Romance, Op. 36 (49)
- Samson et Dalila (24)
- Samson et Dalila, Op. 47: Bacchanale (48)
- Suite algérienne, Op. 60 (33)
- Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 'Organ Symphony' (154)
- Tarantelle in A minor, Op. 6 (23)
- Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61 (70)
- Violin Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 75 (54)
- Wedding Cake - Valse-Caprice, Op. 76 (30)
Recent Best Sellers: Saint-Saëns
-
Special offer. French Orchestral Favourites
Sinfonia of London, John Wilson
-
Presto Recording of the Week, 1st May 2026
SACD: $20.25Download from $10.00 -
-
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3
Thierry Escaich (organ), Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège, Jean-Jacques Kantorow
-
Diapason d'Or, September 2021, Nouveauté
SACD: $18.00 -
-
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Alexandre Kantorow (piano), Tapiola Sinfonietta, Jean-Jacques Kantorow
-
BBC Music Magazine, July 2022, Concerto Choice
-
Schallplattenkritik Quarterly Critics Choice, Autumn 2022, Orchestral Music & Concertos
-
International Classical Music Awards, 2023, Nominated - Concerto
-
Gramophone Awards, 2023 Finalists, Shortlisted - Concerto
SACD: $18.00 -
-
New. Thème Varié
Elena Urioste (violin), Tom Poster
CD: $20.25Download from $10.00
New Releases: Saint-Saëns
View all new releases-
New. Thème Varié
Elena Urioste (violin), Tom Poster
CD: $20.25Download from $10.00 -
New. Mandoline. Dans Les Salons Fin-de-Siècle
Raffaele La Ragione (mandolin), François Dumont (piano), Sandrine Piau
CD: $20.75Download from $9.25 -
New. Dancing Organ
Michael Bártek (organ)
SACD: $20.75Download from $12.25 -
New. The 49th PTNA Piano Competition 2025 Winners Concerts
Masato Takami, Kosuke Kato, Ayane Tsuno, Tomoka Inazawa, Kyoka Minami
Download from $10.00
Future Releases: Saint-Saëns
View all future releases-
Coming soon. Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 5 ‘the Egyptian’
Simon Trpčeski, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Thomas Søndergård
CD: $20.75Download from $9.25 -
Coming soon. Alexis Weissenberg: The Complete Warner Classics Edition
Alexis Weissenberg (piano)
37 CDs: Original price $133.00 Reduced $125.02 -
Coming soon. Je chante la nuit
Pierre Cussac, Agathe Peyrat
CD: $20.75Download from $9.25 -
Coming soon. Mémoire
Alexandre Tharaud (piano)
CD: $17.75Download from $10.00
