Camille Saint-Saëns : Une nuit à Lisbonne Op. 63 & La jota aragonese Op. 64 for orchestra (1880)

I. Une nuit à Lisbonne Op. 63 00:00-04:00
Performed by Ensemble Orchestral de Paris conducted by Jean-Jacques Kantorow
II. La jota aragonese Op. 64 04:00-07:50
Performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Geoffrey Simon.

[@matthewmosca5002]

Thank you for posting this beautiful small gem by that master Saint-Saens! So glad that he is finally starting to get the recognition and respect that he so justly deserves.

[@maxmerry8470]

What was that saying about all good things coming to those who wait? I suppose I'm guilty, in the past, of having overlooked or only paid cursory attention to many of the French composers of the pre-Debussy generation. In my defence, the work of Debussy was my first real musical love, understandably obsessive and exclusive. In my later years, the likes of Saint-Saens have become increasingly important to me (Massenet, Offenbach, Bizet, Chabrier and Lalo too). In Saint-Saens' case, I can't help but think of the line from Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra" in relation to his work and its meaning to me now : "vaster than empires and more slow"........

[@rogerknox9147]

I wouldn't feel guilty about overlooking these composers. I know from experience that university music programs did too. I guess that these French composers weren't considered elevated enough in the era of "Brahms or Wagner."