Carnival of the Animals - A Zoological Fantasy
The Carnival of the Animals (French: Le Carnaval des animaux) is a humorous musical suite of 14 movements, including "The Swan", by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. About 25 minutes long, it was written for private performance by two pianos and chamber ensemble; Saint-Saëns prohibited public performance of the work during his lifetime, feeling that its frivolity would damage his standing as a serious composer. The suite was published in 1922, the year after his death. A public performance that year was greeted with enthusiasm, and it has remained among his most popular works. It is less frequently performed with a full orchestral complement of strings.
Movements
- Aquarium: Duck
- Aviary: Birds
- Characters With Long Ears: Mosquito
- Donkey: The Cat
- Finale: Grand Parade
- Fossil: The Inner Creature
- Hens and Chickens: Lizard
- Introduction
- Kangaroo: Rabbit
- Pianists
- Royal March of the Lion: Crocodile
- The Cuckoo: The Wombat
- The Elephant: Dugongs
- The Swan
- Tortoises: Reflection
Recommended recordings
- Academy of St Martin in the Fields · Neville Marriner YouTubeSpotify (subscription)
- Philharmonia Orchestra · Charles Dutoit YouTubeSpotify (subscription)