The New York herald., 1921-12-17
Saint Saens, Noted
French Composer,
Is Dead in Algiers
Career OF Great Composer
Overiapped Three Genera
tiODs Of Music Levers.

ALeInRs. Africa, Dec. 1s Associated
PressN Camille sainl-Saens. the French
composer, died here suddenly this morn
ing.
OF Camille !Saint-saene, the famous
Wagner SAID some rorty years ago: He
ia tho greatest living French composer"
lie was tho man of whona Liszt siso once
said II and saint-saens are tho on.y
twp men left in Europe who know how
! 40 play the piano" soint-Saens was
everywhere acknowledged as one of the
greatest musicians OF his time and his
career overlapped three generations OF
music lovers.
Making his premier public appearance
as II pianist III Poris two years before
the French Revolution OF 1SiS, he lived
to experience the tragedies Of the great
European war into which his country
was plunged In 1917, and though then
Sc. he was still in possession OF such
vigorous energy that he undertook a
mission across the seas as the French
! Governments representative at the
Panama Pacific Exposition in san Fran
cisco in 1915, and also to deliver q
series of lectures in America as the
First delegate to the Franco American
! Commission for the development OF
political, economic literary and artistic
relations"
The early life OF the great composer
vas that OF n "wonder child" Born
October s. 1895, in Paris. it IS said he
was hardly out OF his nurses arms before
/ lie developed q passionate interest in
| sounds. MY greatest pleasure" he said
| In his own account, was the symphony
OF the kettle on the hob"
At 2A years he played the piano he
pla: cd with taste and skill at 3. He
studied under Benoist and Halevy. de-
voting himself 20 plano. organ and
theory 20 such purpose that he became
q prize winner in the Conservatoire.
| FIis first symphony was written and
performed when he was II with success
| by tt.e Societe dc Sante Cecilie. lie be-
came orEanist of the Church of st. Merri
| in 1859, and org2niSt os tilo Madeleine
/ in 1853. lie did some teaching also at
! that time, but gave most of his time 70
his beloved occupation Of composing
! His facility in that direction was the
basis Of many stories. There are few
erasures on his manuscripts. He put
IDEAS down rapidly on paper. chatting
sometimes the while, and he needed no
piano to assist him. Re wrote his opera
"Prcserpine" without having an instru-
ner' in reach.
/ As student of the music os other
ma stcrs he was probably without ..
riva. Yet one OF the pecuiiarites OF
Saint-Saens and his work--it is said tc
be distinction which he alone Of recent
composers OF consequence pos5essed--
was his complete independence of Rich
ard Wagner He alone In the opinion
of most authorities. would have been
what no has been II Wagner had never
existed And yet he nelped France to
Understand Wagner. As ne himself said :
profoundly in spite OF their eecentricities.
They are superior and powerful which
suffices rue. But have never belonged.
90 not belong and ] shall never belong
TO the Wasnerian religion
( NJ Saint-Sacns" most celebrated must
cal compositions are, with tie date OF
/ their publications: LOS Noces dc
I'romethee." 1867 '14a Princesse Jaune. .
1874: lie Timbre dArdent" 1877
samson et Della" 1871: "Etienne
MerceI." 1872 "Rouet d'omphale.' .
| ''Danse Macabre,' "Jeunesse d'Her-
Guile" Symphonies en- mi. en- la et en- UT.
! Henry vTIT.." 1888; "Ascanio." 1890 ;
"Phryne." 1s93 "Cheurs d'Anugone.'
1898; "Javotte,'. 1896; "Dejanire," 1898 ;
/, les 8arbares." 1901 "PaIysatis," F"
1909: Helene, 1908 'L'Ancestre, :
1905. and many concertos. sonatos and
quintets.
It was on Lis visit here in 1906 THAI
gaint-Saens announced that he would
quit the concert stage, after sixty years
Of ha ri work