Birthday: October 9, 1835 (Libra)
Born In: Paris, France
Camille Saint-Saens was the French composer and organist who wrote the famous opera ‘Samson et Dalila’. A major musical figure of the Romantic era, he was also a very successful pianist and a knowledgeable scholar of music history. He was a child prodigy in music who gave his first concert at the tender age of ten. Furthering his passion for music he studied organ and composition at the Paris Conservatory and went on to pursue a career as an organist at the famed Church of the Madeleine in Paris. A meeting with the celebrated Hungarian composer and teacher Franz Liszt led to an enduring friendship over the course of which Liszt guided and influenced the budding career of the younger Saint-Saens. Over the years he made a name for himself as a brilliant pianist and composer and established himself in a thriving freelance career. He was much sought-after not only in his native France, but also in other European countries, Britain and the Americas. He also held a teaching position once, and even though he taught for less than a period of five years, he left a deep impact on the development of French music. In spite of his illustrious professional career, his personal life was not a happy one, consistently marred by familial problems.
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French Celebrities Born In October
Also Known As: Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns
Died At Age: 86
Spouse/Ex-: Marie Laure Emile Truffot
father: Jacques Joseph Victor Saint-Saëns
mother: Clémence Saint-Saëns
children: André Saint-Saëns, Jean-François Saint-Saëns
Born Country: France
Died on: December 16, 1921
place of death: Algiers, France
Notable Alumni: Conservatoire De Paris
Cause of Death: Heart Attack
City: Paris
Founder/Co-Founder: Société Nationale de Musique
education: Conservatoire De Paris
awards: Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (1867)
British Royal Victorian Order (1902)
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Some of Camille Saint-Saëns's most famous works include "The Carnival of the Animals," "Samson and Delilah," "Danse Macabre," and his Organ Symphony.
Camille Saint-Saëns was known for being a highly versatile composer, pianist, and organist who contributed significantly to French music in the Romantic period.
Yes, Camille Saint-Saëns collaborated with renowned musicians such as violinist Pablo de Sarasate and opera singer Pauline Viardot during his career.
Camille Saint-Saëns had a significant impact on the development of classical music, particularly through his innovative compositions that blended traditional forms with new harmonies and structures.
Camille Saint-Saëns was an avid traveler and visited many countries throughout his life, drawing inspiration from diverse cultures for his compositions.
He was a talented polymath, excelling not only in music but also in fields such as mathematics, literature, and astronomy.
Saint-Saëns had a great love for animals and often incorporated their sounds and characteristics into his music, most famously in "The Carnival of the Animals."
Saint-Saëns was a pioneer in using new and unconventional instruments in his compositions, pushing the boundaries of traditional orchestration.
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