Music and Vinyl: Saint-Saëns - Symphony No.3 "Organ"

Camille Saint-Saëns was not the preferred choice of the Philharmonic Society of London (before it had the prefix "Royal") when in 1885 they decided to commission a new French orchestral work. Charles Gounod, Léo Delibes, and Jules Massenet were ahead of Saint-Saëns in the pecking order. However the Society did arrange to have Saint-Saëns perform a piano concerto of his choice in London, and he was asked then about a symphonic work for the next season. By April 1886 the score was finished - a response to the Germanic music - from Wagner in particular - that was frequently performed in France.

Saint-Saëns conducted the premiere in London - at a concert where he was the soloist in Beethoven's Fourth Piano concerto. The well-received if not over enthusiastic reception to the piece was improved upon after a performance in Aachen, and further still in Paris in 1887 - leading composer Ambroise Thomas to comment that the symphony was "powerful and exceptionally noteworthy, and given the invasion of German music, it would be well to offer another performance of this work that so honours the French school."

Saint-Saëns Symphony No.3 has gained in popularity ever since. Click on the sleeve image below to read more about the music.