Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) was one of the great French composers of the 19th century, composing three symphonies (I’m finding 5 symphonies) and over a dozen operas. He was a child prodigy on the piano, debuting in 1846, and a formidable organist. Through an illustrious career as a soloist, he was well liked, even revered by his colleagues. Richard Wagner admired his dazzling piano technique; Franz Liszt thought him the finest organist alive.
In short, Camille Saint-Saëns perfectly fit the image of the 19th-century Romantic composer: distinguished, gifted, and dignified. Yet all was not what it seemed, as this most august musician had a secret. This secret was in fact an unpublished composition, a roughly half-hour-long work that was banned from public performance during his lifetime—with the exception of one movement.
