Camille Saint-Saëns

Camille Saint-Saens

Composer Camille Saint-Saëns, most famous for his Carnival of the Animals, was born on this date in 1835. Saint-Saëns was a child prodigy who began piano lessons at age two and composed his first piece by age four. He wrote more than 300 pieces in all, including symphonies, concerti, operas (e.g., Samson et Dalila) and symphonic poems (e.g., Danse Macabre). Fearing that Carnival of the Animals was too frivolous a work, he forbade complete performances of it during his lifetime.

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From our Archives: Today's Highlights, October 9, 2008