ABSTRACT
Though he is acknowledged for contributions to every major nineteenth-century genre, general opinion tends to rate Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921) as most successful in pieces that are “based on traditional Viennese models, namely sonatas, chamber music, symphonies and concertos.” 1 During his lifetime, of course, he continued to seek out success in the theater, but choral music, too, both sacred and secular, acted as an important outlet for his prodigious creativity. He churned out canticles, motets, cantatas, and oratorios for soloists and choirs of varying abilities. He wrote partsongs for assorted vocal combinations and demanding a cappella pieces for the orphéon societies and their singing competitions. 2 For decades official organizers turned to him for grandiose pièces d’occasion that glorified the nation and Republican values, or that commemorated the heroes of French culture like Corneille or Victor Hugo. Undeniably well crafted, these inflated scores are often too much tied to their original purpose to speak readily to today’s audience. But in both large and small choral genres, Saint-Saëns has also left gems, some well known and others much less so. To treat such a substantial repertory, this chapter surveys Saint-Saëns’s connection with choral music throughout his long life and continues with focused commentary on several works that stand out in the principal genres mentioned above.
