Despite his achievements, Saint-Saëns was considered unemotional and conservative by some contemporaries, and by the end of his life, composers like Debussy saw him as old-fashioned.
Composer Biography
Saint-Saëns was also a respected writer and scholar, and a gifted amateur mathematician and astronomer.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Saint-Saëns described himself as an "eclectic spirit," stating he could not change his personality, which he saw as a potential defect.
Composition History
The five pieces on this recording span much of Saint-Saëns' life, from his early career in 1857 to the last year of his life in 1921.
Composer Biography
Camille Saint-Saëns was a prolific composer, a champion of French music, and one of the greatest pianists and organists of the nineteenth century.
Instruments
The performers on this recording use specific instruments, including a 14-karat gold Brannen-Cooper flute, a Lorée oboe, Leblanc Legacy clarinets, a Rudolf Walter bassoon, an Engelbert Schmid horn, and a Steinway piano.
Recording & Production
The recording features the National Arts Centre Wind Quintet, comprised of principal players from Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa.
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