Gounod's preference for the organ was quite pronounced and was doubtless due to his churchly tendencies. He had a fine small pipe organ in his home and enjoyed playing upon it, often continuing his playing well into the early hours of the morning. Saint-Saens speaks of his piano-playing, describing him as an agreeable performer, but at the same time relating his difficulty in playing his own scores.

Gounod's greatest success as a conductor was with large choruses. He was always sincere and filled with a sense of seriousness of the work at hand which made him lose all idea of self. In Paris and in London he met with great applause at the choral concerts he conducted. In London he failed to win the personal friendship of some of the newspaper critics, and this led to controversies which hurt his sensitive nature very greatly. His symphonies, which do not rank with his better know works, were favorable received at the time of their performance in England.

The Etude Magazine November 1912

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