The 'orphéon' movement, a French choral tradition, grew rapidly from 300 choirs in 1855 to over 3000 in 1870, with members from all strata of society.
Compositional Technique
Saint-Saëns's a cappella male choruses feature relatively simple harmony but skillful modulation, with vocal lines often layered in a 'vertical' style.
Composer Biography
Camille Saint-Saëns, a child prodigy, began composing at age five and had a musical career spanning nearly 75 years.
Performer Biography
Gilbert Patenaude, the musical director of Les Chantres Musiciens, has led Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal since 1978 and is also a prolific composer and arranger.
Composition History
The nine a cappella male choruses on this album were composed by Saint-Saëns between 1867 and 1912 for various choral societies of the 19th-century French 'orphéon' movement.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Despite being considered minor works, these Saint-Saëns choruses demonstrate his mastery of balance, love for French prosody, and concern for musical form.
Performer Biography
Les Chantres Musiciens, an all-male choir, is composed of young men aged 18 to 32, all graduates of the renowned boys' choir school Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal.
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