Algerian Suite

• Saint-Saëns composed his Suite algérienne, op.60, in 1880. It was published in 1881.¹
• Saint-Saëns was an enthusiastic international traveler, visiting Egypt, Ceylon, California, Argentina, and many other locales during his life. Algeria, which he first visited in 1873, was one of his favorite destinations.² He habitually spent his winters there.³
  • This is one of several “exotic” works Saint-Saëns wrote, inspired by other cultures. When looking to evoke an exotic sound in this and other works, Saint-Saëns often used minor modes with raised sixth and seventh scale degrees (the melodic minor scale).⁴ 
• Saint-Saens provided program notes to each movement in the suite. Here is his note for this movement, the 4^th:

“On the way back to Algiers, the double-quick march of a French regiment is heard, its belligerent strains forming a contrast with the curious rhythms and languorous melodies of the East.”

Saint-Saëns’s program note⁵

1.  Daniel M. Fallon, Sabina Teller Ratner, and James Harding, “Saint-Saëns, (Charles) Camille,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed January 14, 2020, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000024335.
2. Ibid.
3. “Suite Algérienne op.60 (Camille Saint-Saëns), Bru Zane Media Base, accessed January 14, 2020, http://bruzanemediabase.com/eng/Works/Suite-algerienne-op.-60-Camille-Saint-Saens. 
4. Fallon et al, “Saint-Saëns, (Charles) Camille,” Grove Music Online.
5. “Suite Algérienne op.60 (Camille Saint-Saëns), Bru Zane Media Base.