SAINT-SAENS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 87, 9 October 1935, Page 9

SAINT-SAENS

A GREAT COMPOSER

CENTENARY TODAY

(By L. D. Austin.) Who among lovers of. music does not know "The Swan"? I have heard boys,in the street .whistling this irre-' sistible tune—surely one of the world's immortal melodies, it'takps-rank with Handel's "Largo,'? ; Mendelssohn's "Spring Song,'.' t Beethoven's, f'AEnuet in G"—to mention1 but'^-a- few in a deathless galaxy. ; Not •many" people, however, are familiar with the name of-the composer whose fame rests upon a creative output undreamt of by the multitude which krioyrs only "The Swan" and ?'SoftJy Wakes My Heart." And even those who know his name are,.-usually chary of attempting .-to-.1 utter it—for the correct pronunciation of "SaintSaens" presents a difficulty not easily surmounted by the British embouchure. In = fact, it is doubtful whether anyone outside France can give just the exact inflection required. Camille Saint-Saens . was born in Paris on October- 9,-.3835,.hi5. parents bejng of peasant stock-'-thuS:-^proving once again -that'"genius may"-.spring from the lowliest origin. From early childhood' he. revealed "anv-indrdinate musical talent,..composing-fcefore he was seyeh years' old, whilst at nine he gave his first piaiio: recital at the Salle Pleyel. Two years later he began to study the organ, arid in a very short time he became a vjrtuoso-.pf the first rank, both■ as. pianist'and organistaccomplishments which 'no- > other musician in history> with the sole exception of Mendelssohn, has been able to' claim.

Few composers have.equalled SaintSaens. in versatility; he. left practically no branch of musical-art. untouched. Piano and. organ music,. symphonies, cantatas, oratorios, songs, chamber and choral works, incidental music, operas, ballets, etc., besides-transcriptions''and arrangements • innumerable;-* offer; -.sufficient evidence' of ■ phenomenal" industry and powers of invention.; But all these by no. means exhausted this wonderful man's energies) ior'.liey/as, besides, an enthusiastic ' amateur in. science and literature, and wrote poems, essays, and.even stage-plays. ,When it-is added-that he toured Europe assiduously; over a. period of years, to the capacity of travelling virtuoso—giving organ and piano recitals in most of the leading cities on the Continent, and also in America—the fact does not-need to be stressed that Camille Saint-Saens was one of the most remarkable musicians ith* world has known. But his greatest merit was to have been ; a pioneer of progress just when French, music stood most in need of a powerful stimulus. His influence on. the musical art of his country was, and remains, enormous and incalculable. He died on December 16,1921, after a life full of honours and heroic endeavour.. , , ,

A curious circumstance attaches to phis famous composition, "The Swan." If a line be drawn through the notes of ther melody- it- will be found that there results more than a faint resemblance to the shape of an*" actual swan. . ■ '

■ This curiosity was first pointed-out, I believe, by the late Mr. Douglas Tayler. It provides food for psychological speculation. ~ '