CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921): Phaéton op.39, La Jeunesse d’Hercule op. 50, Le Rouet d’Omphale op. 31, Danse macabre op. 40, Bacchanale, Extraite de Samson et Dalila op. 47 (acte III, scène 2), Le Carnaval des animaux - Grande fantaisie zoologique, L’Assassinat du duc de Guise - musique du film / film music op. 128. François-Marie Drieux, violon solo; Les Siècles, instruments d'époque / period instruments; François-Xavier Roth. 2CDs

Description: François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles offer us a double-sided portrait of Saint-Saëns here. On one side, some of the most fascinating symphonic poems of French Romanticism are revealed in all the shimmering timbres of the period. On the other, we rediscover a composer who enjoyed a good laugh (The Carnival of the Animals also returns to its original colours!), when he was not involved in the early days of the cinema, with the very first music ever composed for a film! 2CDs