For over a century, it is recognized in Camille Saint-Saëns three symphonies ...

... Whose No. 3 remains the most popular and most extensively recorded. But his contribution to the genre was more extensive, and very early: in addition to unfinished or fragmentary pages, we give him five. The first four written before his thirty-five years. After a silence of a quarter of a century that will "Organ" chronologically the fifth.
In 1973, a thesis of Daniel Martin Fallon, Doctor of the University of Indiana, has analyzed this production.
More recently, Sabrina Teller Ratner has exhaustively enumerated (Oxford university Press, New York 2002) and now lends his name to the indexing of the works of the composer.
Written at fifteen, the Symphony in A major (Ratner 159) responds to a structure and a classic style that assimilates the legacy of Haydn, Schubert and Mozart. Nothing very personal but a talented synthesis by one "who knows best music from around the world," according to a permeable learning that mocked the words of Debussy.
The opening Allegro, the Scherzo could come out of the pen of a young Beethoven a little frivolous. In the Andantino, however be observed in sensitive pathos of the second section, minor, between measures 47 and 87 (2'14-4'10).
This opus was never played before 1974, when Jean Martinon had him transcribe partition from the manuscript, revealed the concert and recorded for Emi (18-23 September Salle Wagram).

At the same session was captured Symphony "Urbs Roma", which also had been published the same year in 1974 as Saint-Saëns disavowed -quoiqu'elle was crowned the first prize in a competition organized by the Society holy Cécile Bordeaux where it was played in June 1857.
One has no program or descriptive intent would explain this quaint title ("the city of Rome"), which does not preclude imagine some pictorial matches.
Note the nobility a nonchalant nothing horn theme that fertilizes the introductory Largo, like an antique architecture smiling at you in the dawn sun.
Chanted 2/2 (alla breve), the Scherzo in A minor convene a bacchanalian procession, with trills that resonate like restlessness tambourines around the god of the vine.
The Moderato assai serioso parades as a slow procession mourning. A memory of the Marcia funebre "L'Eroica"? A mournful meditation on the past glory of the eternal city? The dark key of F minor illuminates a brief modulation major, qu'immisce clarinet in the measure 59 (3'09-).
As an apotheosis? Saint-Saëns surprises us by Final in variations, which plunges us incongruously in an elegant and serene ballet universe. Note the dynamism of the fourth variation (measure 155, 4'44-) leaping in dotted rhythms.
Nearly three quarters of an hour: a majestic work but a bit long, sometimes suspected of academicism and the economy could have a few mundane turnings.

Dating from June to July 1853, the No. 1 was inaugurated Sunday, December 18 against the Parisian public, who requested anonymity: it is presented like a German composer.
His tone, his bill, his heroic and legendary character may recall the "Rhenish" Schumann. The enlarged instrumentation requires a piccolo, English horn, bass clarinet, two horns, cymbals and four harps.
Allegro vehement Allegretto melodious and subtle. Then a languorous and passionate Adagio (homage to the Love Scene from "Romeo and Juliet" Berlioz?) -Martinon Master by the simmering sensuality.
Structured running & fugue, the Finale may sound pompous, too brassy. "Noisy, reactionary" according to a contemporary critic (Paul Scudo in the Revue des Deux Mondes) who greeted anyway inspiration of the two central movements.
Just as Charles Gounod who warmly congratulated the young author of seventeen years.

Fluid, graceful, incisive, concise: Symphony No. 2 (Ratner 164) woos Mendelssohn mind. It begins in A minor and ends in A major; therefore reversing the tonal scheme of "The Italian" with which it still shares some similarities language and spirit. Including the Final hopping, that can remind the concluding saltarelle its German cousin. A critic of the time, Julien Tiersot, felt she turns a little too into the past and assigns a preference for school forms.

Dedicated to Franz Liszt, commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society of London: Symphony No. 3 and was founded May 19, 1886 and received an enthusiastic welcome. Unless the emphatic finish that yet it is still a good part of its success. Saint-Saëns considered it a masterpiece and left the symphonic genre during the three decades he had left to live.
Captured the 09-10 January 1975 in the Church of St. Louis invalid, this recording concluded full copy engraved by Jean Martinon.
As a complete cycle, it remains a model and met only one competition: Georges Prêtre with the Wiener Symphoniker for microphones Erato. Warner would do well to repeat this alternative!
The chief "directs splendid performances of the complete cycle, well prepared and live" according to the Penguin Guide. He favors lightness, leaves blooming melodic invention that drives any more ideas. He felt the many Germanic influences without weighing the instrumental frame, the orchestra of the ORTF airs with clarity and a search for the right color.