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According to M. Saint-Saëns he was a mediocre musician, and had, in spite of his passion for music, "immense incapacity." In Harmonie et Mélodie M. Saint-Saëns says: "The few chamber-music societies that existed were also closed to all new-comers; their programmes only contained the names of undisputed celebrities, the writers of classic symphonies.
It reckoned among its pupils some noted composers, conductors, organists, and historians; among others, M. Gabriel Fauré, M. André Messager, M. Eugène Gigout, and M. Henry Expert. M. Saint-Saëns was a professor there, and became its president. Nearly five hundred organists, choir-masters, and professors of music of the Conservatoire and other French colleges were trained there.
Elegant, finished, smooth, classicizing, the music of M. Camille Saint-Saëns leaves us in the completest of objectivity. We are touched and moved not at all by it. Something, we vaguely perceive, is supposed to be taking place beneath our eyes. Faint frosty lights pass across the orchestra. This, we guess, is supposed to be an inward and musing passage. This is a finale, this a dramatic climax.
"Music should charm unaided," said M. Saint-Saëns; "but its effect is much finer when we use our imagination and let it flow in some particular channel, thus imaging the music. It is then that all the faculties of the soul are brought into play for the same end. What art gains from this is not greater beauty, but a wider field for its scope that is, a greater variety of form and a larger liberty."
Then La Trompette came into being. It prospered from the day that M. Saint-Saëns who was at that time a young man made its acquaintance. He was pleased with these gatherings, and became an intimate friend of Lemoine; and he interested himself in the society, and induced other celebrated artists to take an interest in it, too.
"But what haf you been doing during the holidays?" exclaimed the maestro at last, his odd, husky voice fierce with annoyance. "There is no ease -no flexibility. You are as stiff as a rusty hinge. Ach! But you will haf to work not play any more." He frowned portentously, then with a swift change to a more reasonable mood, he continued: "Let us haf some songs Saint-Saens' Amour, viens aider.
The four composers most frequently heard at the Châtelet were Saint-Saëns, Wagner, Beethoven, and Berlioz. Berlioz is almost the exclusive property of the Châtelet. Not only have they performed his works there more frequently than anywhere else, but they are better understood there than in other places.
There was a queer mixture of people: some diplomats, and some well-known members of society, but I fancy that the guests were mostly artists; at least they looked so. The most celebrated ones were pointed out to me. There were Saint-Saens, Prince Poniatowski, Gounod, and others. I wondered that Richard Wagner was not there; but I suppose that there is little sympathy between these two geniuses.
One seems to be travelling in a country that one knows and loves; and yet in M. Saint-Saëns' works one does not find any direct resemblance to the works of other composers; for with no one are reminiscences rarer than with this master who carries all the old masters in his mind it is his spirit that is akin to theirs.
"The Danse Macabre," said Cicely to her companion; "one of Saint-Saens' best known pieces." "Is it?" said Larry indifferently; "I'll take your word for it. 'Fraid I don't know much about music." "You dear boy, that's just what I like in you," said Cicely; "you're such a delicious young barbarian." "Am I?" said Larry. "I dare say. I suppose you know."
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