Saint-Saëns Music
I recently got a CD of music by Saint-Saëns.
I was familiar with the famous Danse Macabre, which my grade-school music teacher, Mrs. Canafax, used to play to us at Halloween. She was a violinist with the Fort Worth Symphony, and she would dim the lights and tell us the story of the dancing undead. Then she would play the piece on a stereo, and using a frayed violin bow with horsehairs hanging off of it, she would play the violin part along with the recording. It was very effective both visually and aurally, and something I’ll never forget.
But until I listened to the CD, I had no idea that the theme music for the radio program “The Shadow” actually came from a Saint-Saëns piece. I’m a fan of the radio program and have many episodes on TV. As I was playing a performance of a piece called “Le Rouet d’Omphale,” the theme music jumped out at me. It’s perfect music for a spooky radio drama; whoever picked it had a very sharp ear.
You learn something new every day.
If you don’t know the Danse Macabre, you owe it to yourself to get a copy. It’s instantly accessible and a lot of fun.
Not to turn this into a Halloween thread, but as a boy, my friend and I would close up the bedroom doors and windows, turn off the lights, and listen to a piece called Night on Bald Mountain, by a fellow named Modest Moussorgsky. We’d see how long we could stay bravely in the dark.
Try that and Danse Macabre together next Halloween.
RW (b0f23e) — 11/25/2005 @ 8:20 amA true intellectual is someone who can listen to The William Tell Overture and not think of the Lone Ranger.
Walter E. Wallis (b2dd68) — 11/25/2005 @ 9:47 amYou should also try the amazing 3rd Symphony – scored with two Pianos and Organ! The end of the last movement is particularly spectacular.
Robert Dammers (e2c89b) — 11/25/2005 @ 1:52 pmI second the recommendation of the “Organ Symphony”. An outstanding work, one of my all time favorites.
Steven Den Beste (b57a45) — 11/26/2005 @ 5:25 am“Danse Bacchanale” is also an excellent piece by Saint-Saens. Played both Macabre and Bacchanale in my high school orchestra and I must say that, with the exception of Beethoven’s 9th, SS’s music was by far our favorite to perform.
The timpani solo in Bacchanale was one that all of the percussionists practically fought over.
Doug Stewart (0914f7) — 11/26/2005 @ 8:25 amI’ve always thought that if I ever did a radio commentary show, I’d rip off THE SHADOW and use that middle section of “Omphale’s Spinning Wheel” as my theme, with my voiceover: “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of liberals? I DO.” Maybe throw in the sinister laugh, too.
Bilwick (bd15da) — 11/29/2005 @ 8:12 am