Camille Saint-Saëns, like Mozart and Mendelssohn, showed remarkable musical precocity as a child, starting piano lessons at two and a half.
Composer Biography
By the age of ten, Saint-Saëns had memorized all of Beethoven's piano sonatas and appeared in public concerts.
Cultural Impact
Saint-Saëns's "The Swan" from "The Carnival of the Animals" is inextricably linked with Anna Pavlova and the "dying swan" dance created for her by Fokine in 1907.
Performer Biography
Fanny Clamagirand, the violinist on this album, plays a 1700 Matteo Goffriller violin and is supported by Anne-Sophie Mutter and Vladimir Spivakov.
Performer Biography
Vanya Cohen, the pianist on this album, was one of the last students to study under the prestigious Lazar Berman at the Imola Piano Academy in Italy.
Historical Context
After the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, Saint-Saëns helped found the Société Nationale de Musique to promote French music, known as Ars Gallica.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Saint-Saëns's intellectual curiosity led him to advocate for contemporary music and the revival of works by earlier composers.
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