SAINT-SAENS, CAMILLE. (1835-1921). French composer and organist. ALS. (“C. Saint-Saens”). 3pp. Small 4to. (Paris), June 13, 1909. On a single folded sheet of engraved Rue de Longchamp stationery. To a friend. In French with translation.

“Would you consent to take part in a ‘Society of the Friends of Painting’ in which Raphael was replaced by Cezanne? Yet, that is what you have just unwittingly done in allowing yourself to be used by Mr. Ecorcheville and included in the Society of the Friends of Music. M. Ecorcheville runs an abominable revue the Mercure Musical, which preaches the most detestable doctrines, which treats as admirable the Salome by Mr. Richard Strauss and has only contempt for people like Massenet and your servant; it is clear that the Society of the Friends of Music was founded for supporting the same ideas and encouraging the same works. As you see, being enlightened, what you have to do. Mr. Ecorcheville has just asked me to accept a letter as an honorary member of said Society, and I answered with a justifiably strong refusal...”

A child prodigy, Saint-Saëns began his musical studies at the age of two, performing in public for the first time at five. While offering the public spectacular organ recitals, Saint-Saëns also exerted a profound influence during his brief teaching post at the École de Musique Classique et Religieuse in Paris, composing such well-known works as the Danse Macabre and his justifiably famous Symphony No. 3. His output exceeded 300 compositions and he was among the first composers to write a motion picture score – for the Assassination of the Duke of Guise in 1908.

Our testy letter objects to German composer Richard Strauss (1864-1949) and his scandalous opera Salome, the French language version of which premiered in 1907. In 1870, in the wake of the Prussian War, Camille Saint-Saens co-founded the Société Nationale de Musique to promote the work of French composers over German. In 1910, Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Fauré and a few others established a rival institution, the Société Musicale Indépendante.

Our letter mentions Le Mercure Musical, which published articles about French music from 1905-1907. A French musicologist, student of César Franck and collector of music books and instruments, Jules Écorcheville (1872-1915) cofounded the Société Internationale de Musique in 1899. In 1907, he started the periodical which, after merging with Le Mercure Musical, became the organization’s official journal, Mercure musical et Bulletin français de la S.I.M. and, in 1909, renamed the Revue Musical SIM. In addition to authoring an eight-volume catalogue on the history of the lute, Ecorcheville defended new French music in Revue Musical SIM and counted among his friends Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and Erik Satie.

In very fine condition with light toning.