A Saint-Saëns Organ Album

Forces or Category: Solo organ with pedals

This is a wonderful collection of popular and some less well-known pieces. It contains three movements from The Carnival of the Animals, the slow movement and the famous Maestoso section from the 'Organ' Symphony (No. 3), the meltingly beautiful aria 'Softly awakes my heart' from the opera Samson and Delilah, the opening section of the Danse Macabre, and several other pieces illustrating the range of Saint-Saëns' compositional style. All the pieces are immensely playable and have been chosen to suit the needs of both church and concert organists.

A Saint-Saëns Organ Album

Camille Saint-Saëns

Description

This is a wonderful collection of popular and some less well-known pieces. It contains three movements from The Carnival of the Animals, the slow movement and the famous Maestoso section from the 'Organ' Symphony (No. 3), the meltingly beautiful aria 'Softly awakes my heart' from the opera Samson and Delilah, the opening section of the Danse Macabre, and several other pieces illustrating the range of Saint-Saëns' compositional style. All the pieces are immensely playable and have been chosen to suit the needs of both church and concert organists.

A Saint-Saëns Organ Album

Camille Saint-Saëns

Three pieces from The Carnival of the Animals: The Elephant, The Cuckoo, The Swan
Danse Macabre
Organ Symphony No. 3: Poco Adagio, Maestoso
O Salutaris hostia, from Mass Op. 4
Prelude: Pastorale in the style of J. S. Bach, from The Christmas Oratorio
Prelude to The Flood
Prière
Softly awakes my heart, from Samson and Delilah

A Saint-Saëns Organ Album

Camille Saint-Saëns

Composer Information

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

Martin Setchell is an international concert organist who promotes entertaining organ music to a wide audience. Born and educated in England, he is based in New Zealand, as curator of the Rieger organ in Christchurch Town Hall, and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Canterbury. He regularly performs throughout the world, including tours in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Japan. He has recorded several CDs, including A Taste of Shropshire, the highly successful Bonbons for Organ series, and Pink and White, an anthology of New Zealand organ music. Martin is often heard on BBC radio's The Organist Entertains, the USA's Pipe Dreams, and Radio New Zealand's concert programme. He has arranged Fauré, Bizet, and Sousa (Kevin Mayhew Music), and edited OUP's A Saint-Saëns Organ Album. He holds a Civic Award from the City of Christchurch for services to music in the community and the Town Hall organ in particular.

Martin Setchell's website