A French composer of the post-Romantic era, Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) is known for the elegance, precision and clarity of his extensive body of work.

Saint-Saens was a musical prodigy, giving his debut piano recital at age 10.  He began studying organ and composition early and wrote his first symphony at age sixteen, of which Hector Berlioz remarked, “Il sait tout, mais il manque d'inexpérience” (He knows everything, but lacks inexperience).  Over the course of his long career, Saint-Saens produced almost 300 musical works, including examples of all of the major musical genres. He was also a true intellectual who studied mathematics, geology, archaeology, and botany, and published philosophical works, scholarly article, and popular books.

Although known later in life for his austere, classical style, Saint-Saens was hardly a musical conservative.  In his early days, he was a fierce champion of the music of Liszt and Wagner, both considered revolutionary composers by many at the time.  He co-founded the Société Nationale de Musique in 1871 to encourage and protect new music in France, and introduced contemporary music into the curriculum at the École Niedermeyer, where he taught piano to students including Gabriel Faure , who became a close personal friend.