Raf College Band/Markl - Camille Saint-Sa�ns: Music for Wind Ensemble - Samson et Dalila, Orient et Occident, Marche h�ro�que

Camille Saint-Sa�ns was involved in every aspect of French music during his long lifetime, and his frequent travels led to a fascinating mixture of Western music with Moorish and African elements in works such as Orient et Occident and the Suite alg�rienne. Saint-Sa�ns wrote few works for winds, but the grand biblical themes of Samson et Dalila, patriotic military traditions and the dignity of a British coronation all lend themselves perfectly to arrangement. In The Carnival of the Animals, the roaring lions are superbly evocative; while his perspectives on English and Scottish dances in ballet movements from Henry VIII are brilliantly imaginative. Saint-Sa�ns only wrote four original works for military band, and he is of course far more renowned today for popular orchestral hits such as the Danse macabre and the Third (�Organ�) Symphony. This release is a scintillating exploration of Saint-Sa�ns�s music, putting famous classics such as The Carnival of the Animals next to less frequently heard marches and dances, all attired with fresh and invigorating new sounds.