
Editor of BBC Music Magazine, Oliver Condy, delves into why Saint-Saëns was revered even in his own life time, though now is often overlooked as a great figure of western music, sometimes jokingly called a "first-rate, second-rate composer". Oliver explains how Saint-Saëns was decidedly "old school", refusing to move with the times and vehemently against new progressive styles of music, like that of Wagner and Debussy. However, Saint-Saëns was hugely admired by many of his contemporaries, and his influence on the work on the likes of Liszt and Ravel shouldn't be understated.