Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-12-17
CAMILLE SAINT
SAENS, FRENCH
COMPOSER R, DEAD
Algiers, Africa, Dec. 16 (by the
Associated Pressl Camille Saint
Saens, French composer, died here
suddenly this morning.


Saens, French composer, died here
suddenly this morning.
OF Camille Saints aens, the ia
nous Wagner SAID some forty years
ago: ''He is the greatest living
French composer" He was the
man of whom List also once said
II and Saint-Saens are the only
two men left in Europe who know
how to rlay the piano" Saint
Saens was everywhere acknowledge
ed as one of the greatest musicians
of his time and his career over
Tapped three generations of music
lovers.
Making his premier public ap-
pearance as a pianist in Paris two
years before the French revolution
OF As, he lived to experience the
tragedies of the great European
war into which his country was
plunged in 1914. and though then
so he was still in possession of such
vigorous energy that he undertook
a mission across the seas as the
French governments representa-
tive at the Panama-Pacific exposi-
ton in San Francisco in 1915. and
also to deliver a series of lectures
in America as the first delegate to
the Franco American commission
for the development OF political.
economic, literary and artistic re-
lations"
The early life of the great COM
poser was that of a wonder child"
Born October 3. 1885. in Paris, it
is said he was hardly out of his
nurses arms before he developed
a passionate interest in sounds.
MY greatest pleasue," he said in
his own account, was the symph- |
ony of the kettle on the hob"
At two and a half years he play
I'd the piano: he played with taste
and skill at five He studied under
Benoist and Halevy, devoting him !
self to piano, organ and theory tot
such purpose that he became a.
prize winner in the Conservatoire /,
His first symphony was written
and performed when he was II /
with success by the Societe de I
Sainte Cecilie. He became organist
of the Church Of st. Merri in 1853, |
and organist Of the Madeleine in I
1858. He did some teaching also
at that time, but gave most Of his
time to his beloved occupation of
His facility in that i
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 need !
ed no piano to assist him. He /
wrote his opera, PRO serpine," /
having an instrument in
reach.
As student of the music of
other masters, he was probably
without a rival Yet one of the
peculiarities of Saint-Saens and his
is said to be q distinction
which he alone of recent COM
posers of consequence possessed
was his complete independence of
Richard Wagner. He alone. in the
opinion of most authorities, would
have been what he has been If
Wagner had never existed. And
vet he helped France to understand
Wagner. AS he himself said; II
admire the works of Richard Wag-
ner profoundly in spite of their
They are superior
and powerful, which suffices mo.
But I have never belonged. do not
belong, and l shall never belong
to the Wagnerian religion"
M. Saint Saens' most celebrated
musical compositions are, with the
date of their publications: Lies
Noces de Promethee," 1867; ia
princesse jaime" 1872; lie Timbre
1'Argent," 1877: Samson ct De-
ila" 1877: "Etienne Mercel" 1873;
'Rouet d'Omphale," "Danse Ma
,abre," "Jeunesse d'Hercule,'
en- mi, en- la. ct en- ut
Henry VIII" 1888; fAscanio,"
1890; "Phryne" 1898; "Choeurs
1898; "Javotte." 1896:
'Dejanire," 1898; LES Barbares,"
1901; "Parysatis.p 1902: "Helene,"
1908; "LAncetre," 1906. and many
sonatas and quintettes.
More than ten pages OF small
print are necessary to catalogue all
# his musical compositions. In
he had over a half CEN
ury of continual travel. performing
his own works, conducting and
helping to produce others, and
irving piano and organ concerts all
)ver Europe and the United States.