Saint-Saëns, Camille

(1835-1921)

   composer

   Born in Paris and gifted with an exceptional musical precocity, Camille Saint-Saëns, a piano virtuoso since early childhood, was the pupil of several noted musicians. Organist at Saint-Merri (1853) and at the church of the Madeleine in Paris (1857-77), where he gained a reputation as a remarkable improvisor, he later was professor at the Niedermeyer School in Paris (1861-65), where he taught gabriel fauré and andré messager. Encouraged by Franz Liszt, Saint-Saëns pursued a career as a composer, while remaining a virtuoso and conductor. Cofounder with césar franck, edouard lalo, jules massenet, georges bizet, henri duparc, and gabriel fauré of the Société nationale de musique (1871), he became an out-spoken opponent of Richard Wagner, a German composer whom he had originally admired. Written in the French classical tradition, Saint-Saëns's music is elegant and precise in detail and his work would have a great influence on claude debussy and maurice ravel. His compositions include the opera Samson et Dalila, Messe solonnelle (1856), Requiem (1878), and about 100 melodies.