Synopses & Reviews
Camille Saint-Saëns--perhaps the foremost French musical figure of the late nineteenth century and a composer who wrote in nearly every musical genre, from opera and the symphony to film music--is now being rediscovered after a century of modernism overshadowed his earlier importance. In a wide-ranging and trenchant series of essays, articles, and documents, Camille Saint-Saëns and His World deconstructs the multiple realities behind the man and his music. Topics range from intimate glimpses of the private and playful Saint-Saëns, to the composer's interest in astronomy and republican politics, his performances of Mozart and Rameau over eight decades, and his extensive travels around the world. This collection also analyzes the role he played in various musical societies and his complicated relationship with such composers as Liszt, Massenet, Wagner, and Ravel. Featuring the best contemporary scholarship on this crucial, formative period in French music, Camille Saint-Saëns and His World restores the composer to his vital role as innovator and curator of Western music.
The contributors are Byron Adams, Leon Botstein, Jean-Christophe Branger, Michel Duchesneau, Katharine Ellis, Annegret Fauser, Yves Gérard, Dana Gooley, Carolyn Guzski, Carol Hess, D. Kern Holoman, Léo Houziaux, Florence Launay, Stéphane Leteuré, Martin Marks, Mitchell Morris, Jann Pasler, William Peterson, Michael Puri, Sabina Teller Ratner, Laure Schnapper, Marie-Gabrielle Soret, Michael Stegemann, and Michael Strasser.
Review
"This study of a versatile, tasteful and often endearing composer, and a serious, playful and sometimes prickly man, may be thoroughly recommended."--Classical Music Magazine
Review
"This compilation of masterful scholarship is likely to become a preeminent source for information on Saint-Saëns."--Choice
Review
"Jann Pasler's edited collection thus offers a significant contribution to Saint-Saens studies, and to the field of nineteenth- and early twentieth century French music as a whole."--Helen Abbott, French Studies
Review
"[T]his book represents [quite an] achievement. Saint-Saëns is revealed and yet remains intensely private: the book speaks volumes on the composer's life, views, working methods, and cultural and social status."--Clair Rowden, H-France Review
Synopsis
A revealing look at French composer and virtuoso Camille Saint-Sa ns
Camille Saint-Sa ns--perhaps the foremost French musical figure of the late nineteenth century and a composer who wrote in nearly every musical genre, from opera and the symphony to film music--is now being rediscovered after a century of modernism overshadowed his earlier importance. In a wide-ranging and trenchant series of essays, articles, and documents, Camille Saint-Sa ns and His World deconstructs the multiple realities behind the man and his music. Topics range from intimate glimpses of the private and playful Saint-Sa ns, to the composer's interest in astronomy and republican politics, his performances of Mozart and Rameau over eight decades, and his extensive travels around the world. This collection also analyzes the role he played in various musical societies and his complicated relationship with such composers as Liszt, Massenet, Wagner, and Ravel. Featuring the best contemporary scholarship on this crucial, formative period in French music, Camille Saint-Sa ns and His World restores the composer to his vital role as innovator and curator of Western music.
The contributors are Byron Adams, Leon Botstein, Jean-Christophe Branger, Michel Duchesneau, Katharine Ellis, Annegret Fauser, Yves G rard, Dana Gooley, Carolyn Guzski, Carol Hess, D. Kern Holoman, L o Houziaux, Florence Launay, St phane Leteur , Martin Marks, Mitchell Morris, Jann Pasler, William Peterson, Michael Puri, Sabina Teller Ratner, Laure Schnapper, Marie-Gabrielle Soret, Michael Stegemann, and Michael Strasser.
-- "Choice"
Synopsis
Camille Saint-Saëns--perhaps the foremost French musical figure of the late nineteenth century and a composer who wrote in nearly every musical genre, from opera and the symphony to film music--is now being rediscovered after a century of modernism overshadowed his earlier importance. In a wide-ranging and trenchant series of essays, articles, and documents,
Camille Saint-Saëns and His World deconstructs the multiple realities behind the man and his music. Topics range from intimate glimpses of the private and playful Saint-Saëns, to the composer's interest in astronomy and republican politics, his performances of Mozart and Rameau over eight decades, and his extensive travels around the world. This collection also analyzes the role he played in various musical societies and his complicated relationship with such composers as Liszt, Massenet, Wagner, and Ravel. Featuring the best contemporary scholarship on this crucial, formative period in French music,
Camille Saint-Saëns and His World restores the composer to his vital role as innovator and curator of Western music.
The contributors are Byron Adams, Leon Botstein, Jean-Christophe Branger, Michel Duchesneau, Katharine Ellis, Annegret Fauser, Yves Gérard, Dana Gooley, Carolyn Guzski, Carol Hess, D. Kern Holoman, Léo Houziaux, Florence Launay, Stéphane Leteuré, Martin Marks, Mitchell Morris, Jann Pasler, William Peterson, Michael Puri, Sabina Teller Ratner, Laure Schnapper, Marie-Gabrielle Soret, Michael Stegemann, and Michael Strasser.
Synopsis
Camille Saint-Saëns--perhaps the foremost French musical figure of the late nineteenth century and a composer who wrote in nearly every musical genre, from opera and the symphony to film music--is now being rediscovered after a century of modernism overshadowed his earlier importance. In a wide-ranging and trenchant series of essays, articles, and documents,
Camille Saint-Saëns and His World deconstructs the multiple realities behind the man and his music. Topics range from intimate glimpses of the private and playful Saint-Saëns, to the composer's interest in astronomy and republican politics, his performances of Mozart and Rameau over eight decades, and his extensive travels around the world. This collection also analyzes the role he played in various musical societies and his complicated relationship with such composers as Liszt, Massenet, Wagner, and Ravel. Featuring the best contemporary scholarship on this crucial, formative period in French music,
Camille Saint-Saëns and His World restores the composer to his vital role as innovator and curator of Western music.
The contributors are Byron Adams, Leon Botstein, Jean-Christophe Branger, Michel Duchesneau, Katharine Ellis, Annegret Fauser, Yves Gérard, Dana Gooley, Carolyn Guzski, Carol Hess, D. Kern Holoman, Léo Houziaux, Florence Launay, Stéphane Leteuré, Martin Marks, Mitchell Morris, Jann Pasler, William Peterson, Michael Puri, Sabina Teller Ratner, Laure Schnapper, Marie-Gabrielle Soret, Michael Stegemann, and Michael Strasser.
About the Author
Jann Pasler is professor of music at the University of California, San Diego. Her books include Writing through Music: Essays on Music, Culture, and Politics and Composing the Citizen: Music as Public Utility in Third Republic France.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments and Permissions viii
Introduction: Deconstructing Saint-Saëns xi
PART I
SAINT-SAËNS THE PERSON
Camille Saint-Saëns in (Semi-)Private 2
MITCHELL MORRIS
Saint-Saëns, The Playful 8
PAUL VIARDOT
Inspired by the Skies? Saint-Saëns, Amateur Astronomer 12
LÉO HOUZIAUX
Changes on the Moon, Optical Illusions, The Stars 17
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS
Business and Politics, with Humor: Saint-Saëns and Auguste Durand 26
JANN PASLER
Rivals and Friends: Saint-Saëns, Massenet, and Thaïs 33
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BRANGER
Massenet-Saint-Saëns Correspondence 40
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS, JULES AND LOUISE MASSENET
Saint-Saëns and Lecocq: An Unwavering Friendship 48
YVES GÉRARD
PART II
SAINT-SAËNS THE MUSICIAN
Saint-Saëns and the Performer's Prestige 56
DANA GOOLEY
Le Ma'itre and the "Strange Woman," Marie Jaëll: Two Virtuoso-Composers in Resonance 85
FLORENCE LAUNAY AND JANN PASLER
Saint-Saëns's Improvisations on the Organ (1862) 102
WILLIAM PETERSON
Providing Direction for French Music: Saint-Saëns and the Société Nationale 109
MICHAEL STRASSER
Saint-Saëns as President of the Société des Compositeurs (1887-1891) 118
LAURE SCHNAPPER
Saint-Saëns at the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris (1903-1904) 125
D. KERN HOLOMAN
PART III
SAINT-SAËNS THE GLOBETROTTER
Saint-Saëns: The Traveling Musician 134
STÉPHANE LETEURÉ
Saint-Saëns in Germany 142
MICHAEL STEGEMANN
Saint-Saëns in England: His Organ Symphony 161
SABINA TELLER RATNER
Analytical and Historical Programme for His New Symphony in C Minor and Major 167
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS
Saint-Saëns, "Algerian by Adoption" 173
JANN PASLER
Friendship and Music in Indochina 184
JANN PASLER
Saint-Saëns in New York 191
CAROLYN GUZSKI
Saint-Saëns and Latin America 201
CAROL A. HESS
PART IV
SAINT-SAËNS, AESTHETICS PAST AND PRESENT
What's in a Song? Saint-Saëns's Mélodies 210
ANNEGRET FAUSER
Saint-Saëns and the Ancient World: From Africa to Greece 232
JANN PASLER
Saint-Saëns, Writer 260
MAIRE-GABRIELLE SORET
Saint-Saëns and Rameau's Keyboard Music 266
KATHARINE ELLIS
Preface, Rameau's Pièces de Clavecin (Durand, 1895) 271
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS
Lyres and Citharas of Antiquity 275
MARIE-GABRIELLE SORET
Ancient Lyres and Citharas 280
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS
Saint-Saëns and d'Indy in Dialogue 287
JANN PASLER
PART V
SAINT-SAËNS IN THE 20TH CENTURY
Saint-Saëns's Advocacy of Music Education in Elementary School 304
JANN PASLER
Report of M. Saint-Saëns 309
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS
Saint-Saëns and the Future of Music 312
BYRON ADAMS AND JANN PASLER
Musical Evolution 318
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS
The Fox in the Henhouse, or Saint-Saëns at the SMI 324
MICHEL DUCHESNEAU
Saint-Saëns, Ravel, and Their Piano Concertos: Sounding Out a Legacy 334
MICHAEL J. PURI
Saint-Saëns and Silent Film / Sound Film and Saint-Saëns 357
MARTIN MARKS
Beyond the Conceits of the Avant-Garde: Saint-Saëns, Romain Rolland, and the Musical Culture of the Nineteenth Century 370
LEON BOTSTEIN
Index 405
Notes on the Contributors 419