Composer of the Month-October

Camille Saint-Saens

Camille Saint SaensBorn in Paris, France on October 9, 1835

Died in Algiers, France on December 16, 1921

Camille’s home country: France

Milestones…

• At age 2 – perfect pitch• At age 3 – learned to

read and write• At age 4 – composed his

first piece of music• At age 5 – performed in

his first concert

Camille’s Interests

• Music• Geology• Mathematics• Botany• Poetry

The Carnival of the Animalswas performed privately in 1886. It

wasn’t published until after his death.

Danse Macabre• http://www.retroist.com/2009/10/06/danse-macabre-cartoon-1980/

Camille wrote an art song in 1872 for voice and piano based on a French poem and then, two years later, expanded it into a tone poem.

Danse Macabre tells the story of “Death” calling on skeletons to come out and dance at midnight on Halloween night. When the rooster crows, they must return to their graves until the next year.

Tone Poem• Started around 1850

with Liszt• Also called a symphonic

poem• Based on poetry or a

story• Programmatic- the

music is about something

Examples:

• Danse Macabre, Saint Saens

• The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Dukas

• Ma Vlast, Smetana