Camille Saint-Saëns

Danse Macabre, Op. 40

Written in 1874, the orchestral tone poem Danse Macabre Op. 40 by Camille Saint -Saëns (1835-1921) premiered in January of 1875 and was not well received by the audience. 21st century scholar Roger Nichols mentions particularly adverse audience reactions to "the deformed Dies irae" melody and the "horrible screeching from the solo violin." Drawing thematic material from an old French superstition that Death appears at the stroke of midnight on Halloween to dance with the risen dead, the Danse Macabre is now regarded as one of Saint-Saëns' masterpieces. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(3-4): Hp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set): Solo Violin in set.