Before I started listening to classical music on the radio, I’d never heard of Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns. I think most people probably don’t know who he was, which is a shame, considering he was a very remarkable composer and musician. I mean, most people know who Beethoven and Mozart were, even if they don’t like or don’t listen to classical music.
I was actually going to publish this post last week, but when I was doing some reading about him, I learnt that his birthday is actually today, so I thought that today would be better. I also learnt that he was a bit of an over-achiever, and was performing concerts by the time he was ten years old. He was also a genius of sight-reading music, and could play the most complicated pieces at first sight (something I could only dream of doing).
Saint-Saëns apparently started composing music around the age of six, but I think his best work (that I have heard so far) was one he completed in his early fifties. Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 — also known as the “Organ Symphony” — is also one of my favourite pieces of classical music, and almost always catches my attention when it’s played on the radio (provided I’m not too absorbed in some task).
I actually never thought the sound of the organ was particularly pleasant, but I think this symphony would not be as good any other way. Perhaps the problem was that I’d only ever heard the organ on its own, not together with and amongst other instruments.
To me, the Organ Symphony sounds majestic, regal and uplifting, and is something I never get sick of hearing. The first few times I heard it, I thought it sounded like something from a movie — maybe Lord of the Rings or something epic like that. But there’s a certain part of the symphony that’s very distinct, and I realised it is actually used in Babe, that delightful movie about a pig who becomes a sheepdog (or sheep-pig), which you might consider epic in its own way.
If you have time, I think it’s worth a listen. If nothing else, it makes for excellent background music.
pistachio conspiracy #63 
Lovely music!
Glad you like it too 🙂
I’ve never heard of this composer. I cannot get the video to play on my machine for some reason, but will make a point to listen to this symphony when I can. I like the idea of listening to something connected to that sheep-pig movie. What a great way to explain Babe. 😊
If it still doesn’t play, I’m sure you’ll find something good if you search him on YouTube. Happy listening 🙂
It’s a beautiful piece isn’t it? There are lots of lesser known or little known composers outside the big 3 (Mozart, Beethoven, &, Bach) that have written phenomenal works. Scratch below that surface and there’s a lifetime of amazing discoveries to be enjoyed.
Indeed! I’m discovering new composers and pieces all the time!