The Man Behind the Music
Donald Macleod looks at the playful side of Saint-Saens’s character, which reveals itself in some of his most popular and enduring music.
Donald Macleod looks at the playful side of Saint-Saëns’ character which he kept under wraps in public, yet amongst friends and in private correspondence he sparkled with wit. The face Saint-Saëns presented to his audiences was rather grim and gave no hint of the mischievous sense of humour which lay beneath yet is dazzlingly revealed in some of his best-loved music most notably his famous zoological suite in which he happily sends up both himself and his fellow-composers.
La Cigale et la Fourmi
François le Roux, baritone
Graham Johnson, piano
Wedding Cake Waltz
Stephen Hough, piano
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo, conductor
La Coccinelle
Suzette et Suzon
Tournoiement ‘Songe d’opium’
François le Roux, baritone
Graham Johnson, piano
Six Studies for the Left Hand, Op 135 (Nos 4, 5 & 6)
Piers Lane, piano
Le Carnaval des Animaux
Louis Lortie, piano
Hélène Mercier, piano
Truls Mørk, cello
Alasdair Malloy, glass harmonica
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Neeme Järvi, conductor
Produced by Deborah Preston for BBC Wales
Last on
Music Played
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Camille Saint‐Saëns
La cigale et la fourmi
Performer: Graham Johnson. Singer: François Le Roux.- Hyperion: CDA66856.
- Hyperion.
- 17.
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Camille Saint‐Saëns
Valse-Caprice in A flat major, Op 76
Performer: Sir Stephen Hough. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.- Hyperion : CDA67331 2.
- Hyperion.
- 10.
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Camille Saint‐Saëns
La coccinelle
Performer: Graham Johnson. Singer: François Le Roux.- Hyperion: CDA66856.
- Hyperion.
- 7.
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Camille Saint‐Saëns
Suzette et Suzon
Performer: Graham Johnson. Singer: François Le Roux.- Hyperion: CDA66856.
- Hyperion.
- 23.
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Camille Saint‐Saëns
Tournoiement (Melodies Persanes, Op 26)
Performer: Graham Johnson. Singer: François Le Roux.- Hyperion: CDA66856.
- Hyperion.
- 15.
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Camille Saint‐Saëns
6 Studies for piano left hand, Op 135
Performer: Piers Lane.- Hyperion CDA67037.
- Hyperion.
- 19.
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Camille Saint‐Saëns
Le Carnaval des Animaux
Performer: Louis Lortie. Performer: Hélène Mercier. Performer: Truls Mørk. Performer: Alasdair Malloy. Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.- Chandos CHSA5162.
- Chandos.
- 6.
Broadcast
- Wed 5 Dec 201812:00BBC Radio 3
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