Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78, "Organ"
Camille Saint-Saens
Work background
Researched classical background
Saint-Saens combines the functions of four conventional movements into two large parts. Themes return in transformed shapes, while organ and piano expand the orchestra's available colors. The organ first appears with restraint before its much more imposing role later in the work. The familiar nickname can obscure the importance of the strings, winds, and piano to the symphony's changing textures.
A listening guide
Compare the organ's quiet first contribution with its later entrance, and follow the recurring theme through those changes.
Listening suggestions are editorial guides to the music.
Forces: Orchestra with organ and piano, including piano four hands
Premiere: 1886
Introduced in London for the Philharmonic Society; the organ is part of the orchestral conception, not a separate concerto soloist.
This entry describes the musical work or cycle. Composition, premiere and publication dates describe different events. Performers and recordings can be explored through the external listening search.
Also known as: Organ Symphony
Symphony No. 3, "Organ" - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Sources for this work
Symphony No. 3, "Organ" - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
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