Camille Saint-Sa�ns (1835-1921) composed the French oratorio Le D�luge (The Flood), Op. 45 in 1875. Using a libretto (a "po�me biblique") by Louis Gallet, it tells the biblical story of Noah and the flood. In three parts with a Pr�lude, the full oratorio premiered on March 5, 1876, at the Th��tre du Ch�telet under Edouard Colonne. Despite often being included among Saint-Sa�ns’ best works, the oratorio is rarely performed. The Pr�lude, however, which includes a passage for solo violin, is more often extracted for concert performances. A string count of 8-8-5-5-5 is included in the set.