Canon
Where to start with Saint-Saëns
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
ChamberCarnival of the Animals — Fantasy for 2 pianos and chamber ensemble
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OrchestralCello Concerto no. 1 in A minor, op. 33
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StageSamson et Dalila, op. 47 — Opera
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Vocal2 Choruses, for chorus with piano ad lib, op. 68
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Keyboard3 Préludes et Fugues, op. 109
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OrchestralPiano Concerto no. 2 in G minor, op. 22
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OrchestralSymphony no. 3 in C minor, op. 78, "Organ"
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OrchestralDanse macabre, tone poem, op. 40
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OrchestralIntroduction et Rondo capriccioso, for violin and orchestra, op. 28
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OrchestralLe Rouet d'Omphale, symphonic poem in A major, op. 31
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OrchestralPhaéton, symphonic poem in C major, op. 39
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OrchestralPiano Concerto no. 4 in C minor, op. 44
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OrchestralPiano Concerto no. 5 in F, op. 103, "Egyptian"
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OrchestralViolin Concerto no. 3 in B minor, op. 61
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Vocal2 Choruses, op. 141
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Saint-Saëns's catalogueMost Popular
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Carnival of the Animals — The Swan
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Symphony No. 3 ”Organ”
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Danse Macabre
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Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor
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Cello Concerto No. 1
Most Acclaimed
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Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor
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Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor
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Samson et Dalila (opera)
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String Quartet No. 2
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Carnival of the Animals (complete)
Most Weird
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Carnival of the Animals (complete)he refused to publish it in his lifetime — thought it was beneath his dignity; The Swan is from this ”private joke”; the Pianists movement mocks piano students
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Danse Macabreone violin is tuned with the E string lowered to E-flat — to suggest the devil’s fiddle
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Le Rouet d\’Omphaletone poem — spinning wheel; Hercules in women\’s clothes; the spinning obsessively repeats
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Le Carnaval des animaux — Les Pianistesthe pianists movement — scales and exercises in slow tempo; mockery of recital preparation
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Septet in E-flat Op. 65trumpet + string quintet + piano — unusual combination
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 168
- Chamber
- ● Carnival of the Animals — Fantasy for 2 pianos and chamber ensemble
- 6 Duos, for piano and harmonium, op. 8
- Allegro appassionato in B minor, for cello and piano, op. 43
- Barcarolle in F major, for piano and string quartet, op. 108
- Bassoon Sonata in G major, op. 168
- Berceuse in B flat major, for violin and piano, op. 38
- Caprice on Danish and Russian Airs, for flute, oboe, clarinet and piano, op. 79
- Cavatine, for trombone and piano in D flat major, op. 144
- Cello Sonata no. 1 in C minor, op. 32
- Cello Sonata no. 2 in F major, op. 123
- Chant saphique, for cello and piano, op. 91
- Clarinet Sonata in E flat major, op. 167
- Elegie in F major, for violin and piano, op. 160
- Elegy no. 1 for Violin and Piano, op. 143
- Fantaisie in A major, for violin and harp, op. 124
- Fantaisie in A minor, for harp, op. 95
- Gavotte, for cello and piano in G minor
- L'air de la pendule in A minor, for violin and piano
- Oboe Sonata in D major, op. 166
- Piano Quartet in B flat major, op. 41
- Piano Quintet in A minor, op. 14
- Piano Trio no. 1 in F major, op. 18
- Piano Trio no. 2 in E minor, op. 92
- Prière, for cello and organ, op. 158
- Romance for Flute and Piano, op. 51
- Romance for Horn and Piano in E major, op. 67
- Romance for Piano, Organ and Violin in B flat major, op. 27
- Septet for Trumpet, String Quintet and Piano, op. 65
- Sonata for violin and piano
- Sonate inachevee, for violin and piano
- String Quartet no. 1 in E minor, op. 112
- String Quartet no. 2 in G major, op. 153
- Suite for Cello and Piano, op. 16
- Sérénade, for chamber ensemble in E flat major, op. 15
- Triptyque in D major, op. 136
- Violin Sonata no. 1 in D minor, op. 75
- Violin Sonata no. 2 in E flat major, op. 102
- Wedding Cake, caprice-valse for piano and strings in A flat major, op. 76
- Orchestral
- ● Cello Concerto no. 1 in A minor, op. 33
- ● Piano Concerto no. 2 in G minor, op. 22
- ● Symphony no. 3 in C minor, op. 78, "Organ"
- Danse macabre, tone poem, op. 40
- Introduction et Rondo capriccioso, for violin and orchestra, op. 28
- Le Rouet d'Omphale, symphonic poem in A major, op. 31
- Phaéton, symphonic poem in C major, op. 39
- Piano Concerto no. 4 in C minor, op. 44
- Piano Concerto no. 5 in F, op. 103, "Egyptian"
- Violin Concerto no. 3 in B minor, op. 61
- Africa, fantaisie for piano and orchestra in G minor, op. 89
- Aquarium, for orchestra
- Caprice andalous, for violin and orchestra in G major, op. 122
- Cello Concerto no. 2 in D minor, op. 119
- Cyprès et lauriers, for organ and orchestra, op. 156
- Havanaise in E major, for violin and orchestra, op. 83
- La jeunesse d'Hercule, symphonic poem in E flat major, op. 50
- La muse et le poète, for violin, cello and orchestra, op. 132
- Marche du couronnement, op. 117
- Marche héroïque in E flat major, op. 34
- Morceau de concert in F minor, for horn and orchestra, op. 94
- Morceau de concert, for violin and orchestra in G major, op. 62
- Odelette, for flute and orchestra in D major, op. 162
- Orient et Occident, for band, op. 25
- Piano Concerto no. 1 in D major, op. 17
- Piano Concerto no. 3 in E flat major, op. 29
- Rhapsodie D'Auvergne, for piano and orchestra, op. 73
- Romance for Flute and Orchestra in D flat major, op. 37
- Romance for Horn in F major, op. 36
- Romance for Violin and Orchestra in C major, op. 48
- Sarabande et rigaudon in E for Strings, op. 93
- Spartacus Overture in E flat major
- Suite Algérienne, op. 60
- Suite for Cello and Orchestra, op. 16bis
- Suite for Orchestra in D major, op. 49
- Suite in D minor, op. 16bis
- Symphony in A
- Symphony in F, "Urbs Roma"
- Symphony no. 2 in A minor, op. 55
- Tarantella, for flute, clarinet, and orchestra, op. 6
- Une nuit a Lisbonne in E flat major, op. 63
- Violin Concerto no. 1 in A minor, op. 20
- Violin Concerto no. 2 in C major, op. 58
- Wedding Cake, caprice-valse for piano and orchestra, op. 76
- Stage
- Samson et Dalila, op. 47 — Opera
- Ascanio — Opera
- Henry VIII — Opera
- Javotte — Ballet
- L' Assassinat du Duc de Guise, film score, op. 128
- La princesse jaune, op. 30
- Le Timbre d'Argent
- Vocal
- 2 Choruses, for chorus with piano ad lib, op. 68
- 2 Choruses, op. 141
- 2 Choruses, op. 71
- 3 Choruses, for female chorus, op. 151
- Aimons-nous, song for voice and orchestra
- Aux aviateurs, for male chorus, op. 134
- Aux conquérants de l'air, op. 164
- Aux mineurs, for male chorus, op. 137
- Ave Maria in A major, for chorus and organ
- Ave Maria in E major, for baritone and organ
- Ave Maria in F major, for chorus and organ
- Ave Maria, motet for chorus, op. 145
- Ave verum corpus, for chorus and orchestra
- Ave verum, motet for 4 female voices, organ and horn in D
- Chant d'automne, for male chorus, op. 113
- Choeur de Sylphes, for soloists and chorus
- Deus Abraham, for chorus and organ
- Extase, song for voice and piano
- Hymne au printemps, part song for men's chorus, op. 138
- Il Canto del cigno — Song
- Inviolata in F major, for chorus and organ
- Ivanhoe — Cantata
- La cloche, for soprano and orchestra
- Le Déluge, oratorio for voices, chorus, and orchestra, op. 45
- Le Pas d'armes du Roi Jean, song for voice and orchestra
- Le Rossignol — Song
- Le matin, for male chorus, op. 129
- Le matin, song for voice and piano
- Le retour de Virginie, for choir and piano
- Les cygnes, for 2 voices and orchestra with chorus ad lib
- Les guerriers, for male chorus, op. 84
- L’Attente — Song
- Messe solenelle, for voices, chorus, orchestra and organ, op. 4
- Mélodies persanes, 6 songs for voice and piano, op. 26
- O salutaris in A flat major, for chorus and organ
- O salutaris in E major, for chorus and organ
- O salutaris, motet for soprano, alto, baritone abd organ in B flat major
- Ode a Sainte-Cecile, for voice and orchestra
- Oratorio De Noël, op. 12
- Panis angelicus, for tenor and string quintet in F minor
- Pastorelle, for 2 voices
- Pourquoi rester seulette — Song
- Requiem, for soloists, chorus and orchestra, op. 54
- Romance du soir, for chorus, op. 118
- Saltarelle, for male voices, op. 74
- Si vous n'avez rien à me dire, song for voice and piano
- Sub tuum, motet for soprano, alto and organ in F minor
- Sérénade d'hiver, for 4 male voices
- Tantum ergo, motet for 2 sopranos, alto, organ and chorus ad lib in E flat major
- Thème varié — Song
- Une flûte invisible, song for voice, flute, and piano
- Veni Creator, motet for chorus and organ ad lib
- Keyboard
- 3 Préludes et Fugues, op. 109
- 3 Préludes et Fugues, op. 99
- 3 Rhapsodies on Breton themes, op. 7
- 6 Bagatelles, op. 3
- 6 Etudes, op. 111
- 6 Etudes, op. 135
- 6 Etudes, op. 52
- 6 Fugues, op. 161
- 7 Improvisations, op. 150
- Album, op. 72
- Allegro appassionato in C sharp minor, op. 70
- Berceuse in E major, for 2 pianos, op. 105
- Bénédiction nuptiale in F major, op. 9
- Caprice arabe, for 2 pianos, op. 96
- Elévation, ou Communion in E major, for organ or harmonium, op. 13
- Fantasie no. 1 in E flat major
- Fantasie no. 2 in D flat major, op. 101
- Fantasie no. 3 in C major, op. 157
- Feuillet d'album in A flat major, op. 169
- Les cloches du soir in E flat major, op. 85
- Pas redoublié in B flat major, for piano 4-hands, op. 86
- Romance sans paroles
- Scherzo, for 2 pianos, op. 87
- Suite in F major, op. 90
- Thème varié, op. 97
- Valse mignonne in E flat major, op. 104
- Variations on a Theme of Beethoven in E flat major, for 2 pianos, op. 35