Franz Liszt, after hearing Saint-Saëns improvise at the church of La Madeleine where Saint-Saëns was organist, declared him the greatest organist in the world.
Performer Biography
The Florestan Trio received Britain's Royal Philharmonic Society Award for chamber music in 2000, the first time a piano trio had won this award.
Historical Context
Saint-Saëns was known as a brilliant maverick, promoting unfashionable composers like Mozart and Schumann and teaching at the École Niedermeyer instead of the Conservatoire.
Composer Biography
Richard Wagner, who met Saint-Saëns in 1859, noted that Saint-Saëns could play his operas, including Tristan, from memory with remarkable precision.
Composition History
Saint-Saëns's First Piano Trio was written in 1863, the same year he unsuccessfully entered the prestigious Prix de Rome for the second time.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Saint-Saëns described himself as an 'eclectic spirit' and believed he was fulfilling his nature as a composer, much like an apple tree grows apples.
Composer Biography
Camille Saint-Saëns was a child prodigy who began composing at age three and could play concertos from memory by age ten.
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