Le Carnaval des Animaux (The Carnival of the Animals) is a musical suite of fourteen movements by the French Romantic composer Camille Saint-Saëns. Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time. A movement is a self-contained part of a Musical composition or Musical form. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Romantic Music is a Musicological term referring to a particular period theory compositional practice and canon in European music history from about 1815 to 1910 Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (/ʃaʁl kamij sɛ̃sɑ̃s/ (9 October 1835 &ndash 16 December 1921 was a French Composer, Organist, conductor, and

History

Le Carnaval was composed in February 1886 while Saint-Saëns was vacationing in a small Austrian village. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich It was originally scored for a chamber group of flute/piccolo, clarinet(B flat and C), two pianos, glass harmonica, xylophone, two violins, viola, cello and double bass, but is usually performed today with a full orchestra of strings, and with a glockenspiel substituting for the rare glass harmonica. Chamber music is a form of Classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber The flute is a Musical instrument of the Woodwind family Unlike other woodwind instruments a flute is a Reedless wind instrument that produces its The piccolo is a small Flute. Like the flute the piccolo is normally pitched in the key of C one octave above the concert flute (making it effectively a sopranino The clarinet is a Musical instrument in the Woodwind family The name derives from adding the suffix -et meaning little to the Italian word The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers The glass harmonica, also known as the glass armonica, hydrocrystalophone, or simply armonica (derived from "armonia" the Italian The xylophone (from the Greek words ξύλον - xylon, "wood" + φωνή - phone, "voice" meaning "wooden The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member The viola is a bowed String instrument. It is the middle voice of the Violin family, The violoncello (abbreviated to cello, or 'cello, plural cellos or celli —the c is tʃ The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well The glockenspiel ( German, "set of bells quot or "play-bells" also known as orchestra bells and in its portable

Saint-Saëns, apparently concerned that the piece was too frivolous and likely to harm his reputation as a serious composer, suppressed performances of it and only allowed one movement, Le Cygne, to be published in his lifetime. Only small private performances were given for close friends like Franz Liszt.

Saint-Saëns did, however, include a provision which allowed the suite to be published after his death, and it has since become one of his most popular works. It is a favorite of music teachers and young children, along with Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf and Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев Sergéj Sergéjevič Prokófjev) ( - 5 March 1953 was a Russian composer who Peter and the Wolf is a composition by Sergei Prokofiev written in 1936 after his return to the Soviet Union. Edward Benjamin Britten Baron Britten, OM CH (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976 was an English Composer, conductor, This article is about the composition by Benjamin Britten for information about the television series see Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. In fact, it is very common to see any combination of these three works together on modern CD recordings - a handy tool for class work.

Movements

A typical performance lasts about 20-25 minutes. There are fourteen movements:

I- Introduction et marche royale du Lion (Introduction and Royal March of the Lion)

Strings and two pianos: The introduction begins with the pianos playing a bold tremolo, under which the strings enter with a stately theme. The string section is the largest body of the standard Orchestra and consists of bowed String instruments of the Violin family. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers The pianos play a pair of scales going in opposite directions to conclude the first part of the movement. The pianos then introduce a march theme that they carry through most of the rest of the introduction. The strings provide the melody, with the pianos occasionally taking low runs of octaves which suggest the roar of a lion, or high ostinatos. The movement ends with a fortissimo note from all the instruments used in this movement.

II- Poules et Coqs (Hens and Roosters)

Strings without double-bass, two pianos, with clarinet: This movement is centered around a pecking theme played in the pianos and strings, which is quite reminiscent of chickens pecking at grain. The clarinet plays small solos above the rest of the players at intervals.

III- Hémiones (animaux véloces) (Wild Asses; quick animals)

Two pianos: The animals depicted here are quite obviously running, an image induced by the constant, feverishly fast up-and-down motion of both pianos playing scales in octaves.

IV- Tortues (Tortoises)

Strings and piano: A slightly satirical movement which opens with a piano playing a pulsing triplet figure in the higher register. Tortoises or land Turtles are land-dwelling Reptiles of the family of Testudinidae', order Testudines. The strings play a maddeningly slow rendition of the famous 'Can-Can' from Offenbach's operetta Orpheus in the Underworld, as mentioned below. Orphée aux enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld, Opéra bouffe (or Opéra féerie in its revised version is an Operetta by Jacques

V- L'Éléphant (The Elephant)

Double-bass and piano: This section is marked Allegro Pomposo, the perfect caricature for an elephant. The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. The piano plays a waltz-like triplet figure while the bass hums the melody beneath it. Like "Tortues," this is also a musical joke - the thematic material is taken from Felix Mendelssohn's Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hector Berlioz's Dance of the Sylphs. Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and generally known as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3 1809 &ndash November 4 1847 was a German Composer The two themes were both originally written for high, lighter-toned instruments (flute and various other woodwinds, and violin, accordingly); the joke is that Saint-Saëns moves this to the lowest and heaviest-sounding instrument in the orchestra, the double bass.

VI- Kangourous (Kangaroos)

Two pianos: The main figure here is a pattern of 'hopping' fifths preceded by grace notes

VII- Aquarium

Strings without double-bass, two pianos, flute, and glass harmonica: This is one of the more musically rich movements. The melody is played by the flute, backed by the strings, on top of tumultuous, glissando like runs in the piano. The first piano plays a descending ten-on-one ostinato, while the second plays a six-on-one. These figures, plus the occasional glissando from the harmonica—often played on celesta or glockenspiel—are evocative of a peaceful, dimly-lit aquarium. The celesta (pronounced /səˈlɛstə/ or celeste (pronounced /səˈlɛst/ is a struck Idiophone operated by a keyboard.

VIII- Personnages à longues oreilles (Characters with Long Ears)

Two violins: This is surely the least lyrical of the pieces; the violins alternate playing high, shrill screeches and low, buzzing notes (in the manner of a donkey's braying "hee-haw") that can hardly be considered melodious.

IX- Le coucou au fond des bois (The Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods)

Two pianos and clarinet: The pianos play large, soft chords while the clarinet plays a single two-note ostinato, over and over; a C and an A flat, mimicking the call of a cuckoo bird.

X- Volière (Aviary)

Strings, piano, and flute: The high strings take on a background role, providing a buzz in the background that is reminiscent of the background noise of a jungle. The cellos and basses play a pick up cadence to lead into most of the measures. The flute takes the part of the bird, with a trilling tune that spans much of its range. The pianos provide occasional pings and trills of other birds in the background. The movement ends very quietly after a long ascending scale from the flute.

XI- Pianistes (Pianists)

Strings and two pianos: This movement is a glimpse of what few audiences ever get to see: the pianists practicing their scales. The scales of C, D flat, D and E flat are covered. Each one starts with a trill on the first and second note, then proceeds in scales with a few changes in the rhythm. Transitions between keys are accomplished with a blasting chord from all the instruments between scales. After the four scales, the key changes back to C, where the pianos play a trill-like pattern in thirds while the strings play a small part underneath. This movement is unusual in that the last three blasted chords do not resolve the piece, but rather lead into the next movement, with a pattern similar to the chords that lead from the second to the third movements of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff (Сергей Васильевич Рахманинов The Piano Concerto No 3 in D minor Op 30 by Sergei Rachmaninoff (colloquially known as the "Rach 3") is famous for its technical and musical demands

XII- Fossiles (Fossils)

Strings, two pianos, clarinet, and xylophone: Here, Saint-Saëns mimics his own composition, the Danse Macabre, which makes heavy use of the xylophone to evoke the image of skeletons dancing, the bones clacking together to the beat. Danse Macabre (first performed in 1875) is the name of opus 40 by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. The musical themes from Danse Macabre are also quoted; the xylophone plays much of the melody, alternating with the piano and clarinet. The piano part is especially difficult here - octaves that jump in quick thirds. Allusions to "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman" (better known in the English-speaking world as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star), the French nursery rhymes "Au Clair de la Lune" and "J'ai du bon tabac", the popular anthem Partant pour la Syrie as well as the aria Una Voce Poco Fa from Rossini's Barber of Seville can also be heard. " Au Clair de la Lune " is a French folk song of the eighteenth century Partant pour la Syrie (Departing for Syria is a French song the music of which was written by Hortense de Beauharnais and the text by Alexandre de Laborde The Barber of Seville or The Useless Precaution ( Il barbiere di Siviglia ossia L'inutile precauzione) is an Opera buffa in two acts by

XIII- Le Cygne (The Swan)

Two pianos and cello: This is by far the most famous movement of the suite, often performed solo and is used to showcase the interpretive skills of the cellist. Le Cygne, or The Swan, is the thirteenth movement of The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns. The lushly romantic cello solo (which evokes the swan elegantly gliding over the water) is played over rippling sixteenths in one piano and rolled chords in the other (representing the swan's feet, hidden from view beneath the water, propelling it along).

The Swan

From The Carnival of the Animals. Performed by John Mitchel

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

XIV- Finale

Full ensemble: The Finale opens on the same tremolo notes in the pianos as in the introduction, which are soon reinforced by the wind instruments, the harmonica and the xylophone. The strings build the tension with a few low notes, leading to glissandi by the piano, then a pause before the lively main melody is introduced. This movement is somewhat reminiscent of an American carnival from the middle of the twentieth century, with one piano always maintaining a bouncy eighth note rhythm. Although the melody is relatively simple, the supporting harmonies are ornamented in the style that is typical of Saint-Saëns' compositions for piano; dazzling scales, glissandi and trills. Many of the previous movements are quoted here from the introduction, the asses, hens, and kangaroos. The work ends with a strong group of C major chords.

Musical References

As the title suggests, the work follows a zoological program and progresses from the first movement, Introduction et marche royale du Lion, through portraits of elephants and donkeys ("Those with Long Ears") to a finale reprising many of the earlier motifs. Zoology (from Greek ζῷον, zoon, "animal" + λόγος, " Logos " "knowledge" is the branch of Programme music is a form of Art music intended to evoke extra-musical ideas images in the mind of the listener by musically representing a scene image or mood Elephants ( family: Elephantidae) are large land Mammals of the order Proboscidea. The donkey or ass, Equus asinus, is a member of the Equidae or horse family and an odd-toed ungulate.

Several of the movements are of humorous intent:

• Poules et Coqs uses the theme of Jean Philippe Rameau's Harpsichord piece La Poule ("The Hen") from his Suite in G major, but in a quite less elegant mood. Jean-Philippe Rameau (ʒɑ̃filip ʀaˈmo in French (September 25 1683 – September 12 1764 was one of the most important French Composers and music theorists A harpsichord is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. In Music, a suite is an ordered set of Instrumental or Orchestral pieces normally performed in a Concert
• Pianistes depicts piano students practicing scales
• Tortues makes good use of the well-known Can-can from Jacques Offenbach's operetta Orpheus in the Underworld, playing the usually breakneck-speed melody at a slow, drooping pace. The can-can (more correctly not hyphenated as in the original French cancan) is regarded today primarily as a physically demanding Music hall dance performed by Jacques Offenbach (born Jacob Offenbach 20 June 1819 in Cologne &ndash 5 October 1880 in Paris) was a German Operetta is a genre of light Opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter Orphée aux enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld, Opéra bouffe (or Opéra féerie in its revised version is an Operetta by Jacques
• L'Éléphant is Hector Berlioz's Dances des sylphes much lower than usual as a double bass solo, and also briefly quotes the Scherzo from Felix Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, suggested by " The Knight's Tale " from " It is heard at the end of the bridge section.
• Fossiles quotes Saint-Saëns' own Danse Macabre as well as three nursery rhymes, "J'ai du bon tabac", "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman" (Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star) and "Au Clair de la Lune", also the song Partant pour la Syrie and Rossini's aria, "Una voce poco fa" from The Barber of Seville. " Au Clair de la Lune " is a French folk song of the eighteenth century Partant pour la Syrie (Departing for Syria is a French song the music of which was written by Hortense de Beauharnais and the text by Alexandre de Laborde This article is about the musical term "aria" For other meanings or uses of the word see Aria (disambiguation. The Barber of Seville or The Useless Precaution ( Il barbiere di Siviglia ossia L'inutile precauzione) is an Opera buffa in two acts by
• The Personnages à longues oreilles section is thought to be directed at music critics: they are also supposedly the last animals heard during the finale, braying.

Cultural References

The ballet The Dying Swan is choreographed to the Swan section. The Dying Swan is a Ballet dance Choreographed to the music Le Cygne composed in 1866 by Camille Saint-Saëns.

Ogden Nash wrote a set of humorous verses to accompany each movement, which are often recited when the work is performed. Frederic Ogden Nash ( August 19, 1902 &ndash May 19, 1971) was an American Poet best known for writing pithy and funny The conclusion of the verse for the "Fossils", for example, fits perfectly with the punchline-like first bar of the music:

At midnight in the museum hall

The fossils gathered for a ball

There were no drums or saxophones,

But just the clatter of their bones,

A rolling, rattling, carefree circus

Of mammoth polkas and mazurkas.

Pterodactyls and brontosauruses

Sang ghostly prehistoric choruses.

Amid the mastodontic wassail

I caught the eye of one small fossil.

Cheer up, sad world, he said, and winked-

It's kind of fun to be extinct.

In 1949, Noel Coward made what is considered the classic recording of "Carnival of the Animals", reading Ogden Nash's specially written verses, and accompanied by Andre Kostelanetz and his orchestra playing Camille Saint-Saëns' music.

Throughout the long-running Carry On Films, the elephant was used as the signature tune for the characters played by Hattie Jacques, when they first appeared on screen. The Carry On films were a long-running series of low-budget British comedy films directed by Gerald Thomas and produced by Peter Rogers. Josephine Edwina Jaques ( 7 February 1922 &ndash 6 October 1980) was a well-known English Comedy actress

In 1976, Warner Brothers produced a television special directed by Chuck Jones featuring an abridged version of The Carnival of the Animals with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck playing the dual pianos (it opens with Bugs and Daffy arguing over the pronunciation of the composer's name--Camille Saint-Saëns [Bugs] or Camel Saynt Saynes [Daffy]). Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones ( September 21, 1912 &ndash February 22, 2002) was an American Animator, Clyde Rabbit (uncleMrs Bugs Bunny (wifePapa Bunny (fatherMama Bunny (motherRugs Bunny Daffy Duck is an Animated cartoon character in the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of The live-action orchestra is conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. Michael Tilson Thomas (b December 21, 1944) is an American conductor, pianist and Composer. "The Turtle", "The Mule", "The Cuckoo", "The Pianists" and "The Swan" are omitted, and the verse for "The Mule" is tacked onto the verse for "The Jackass".

In 1992, Dove Audio released an all-star cast recording (Dove 30560 {cassette}/30700 {CD}) performed by the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra conducted by Lalo Schifrin:

• "Introduction" - read by Arte Johnson
• "The Royal March of the Lion" - read by Charlton Heston
• "The Cocks and Hens" - read by James Earl Jones
• "The Wild Animals (Jackass)" - read by Betty White
• "The Turtle" - read by Lynn Redgrave
• "The Elephant" - read by William Shatner
• "The Kangaroo" - read by Joan Rivers
• "The Aquarium" - read by Ted Danson
• "The Mule" - read by Lily Tomlin
• "The Cuckoo in the Wind" - read by Deborah Raffin
• "The Birds" - read by Audrey Hepburn
• "The Pianists" - read by Dudley Moore
• "The Fossils" - read by Walter Matthau
• "The Swan" - read by Jaclyn Smith
• "The Grand Finale" - read by Arte Johnson

{In a special Dove's Kids Children's release (Dove 30550), Arte Johnson was replaced by Fred Savage. Lalo Schifrin (born June 21, 1932) is an Argentine pianist and Composer. Arte Johnson (born January 20, 1929) full name Arthur Stanton Eric Johnson, is an American comic Actor. Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4 1923 &ndash April 5 2008) was an American Actor of James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American Actor of Film and stage well known for his deep basso Betty Marion White (born January 17, 1922) is a film and television actress with a career spanning 60 years Lynn Rachel Redgrave, OBE (born 8 March, 1943) is two-time Academy Award -nominated and Golden Globe -winning English William Alan Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian double Emmy - Golden Globe - and Saturn Award -winning Joan Rivers (born Joan Alexandra Molinsky; June 8, 1933) is an American Comedian, Actress, Talk show Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III (born December 29, 1947) is an American Actor best known for his role as central character " Mary Jean “Lily” Tomlin (born September 1 1939 is an American Actress, Comedian, Writer and producer who has won several Deborah Iona Raffin (born March 13, 1953) is an American film and television actress Audrey Hepburn ( &ndash) was an English/Dutch Academy Award - Emmy Award - Tony Award - and Grammy Award -winning film and stage actress Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE (19 April 1935 &ndash 27 March 2002 was an English Actor, Comedian and Musician. Walter John Matthau ( October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American award-winning Actor best known for his role Jaclyn Smith, born Jaclyn Ellen Smith (October 26 1947 in Houston Texas is a Golden Globe -nominated American actress. Arte Johnson (born January 20, 1929) full name Arthur Stanton Eric Johnson, is an American comic Actor. Arte Johnson (born January 20, 1929) full name Arthur Stanton Eric Johnson, is an American comic Actor. Fredrick Aaron Savage (born July 9 1976) is an American Actor and television and Film director, perhaps best known for )

Part of the proceeds from the sale of this recording were contributed to Actors and Others for Animals, American Oceans Campaign, American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other charities. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( ASPCA) is a Non-profit organization which as the name says is dedicated to preventing cruelty towards

In 1999, Walt Disney Feature Animation incorporated the Finale into Fantasia 2000. Walt Disney Animation Studios (as Walt Disney Feature Animation is a key element of The Walt Disney Company, and the oldest existing Animation studio in the world Fantasia 2000 is an animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. In the film, a flock of flamingos (the Snooty Six) is annoyed by another flamingo playing with a yo-yo and attempt to make him do the routines they do every day. Flamingos or flamingoes ( are gregarious Wading birds in the Genus Phoenicopterus and family The yo-yo is a Toy consisting of two equally sized and weighted disks of Plastic, Wood, or Metal, connected with an Axle, with a The music was recorded by James Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. James Lawrence Levine (born 23 June 1943) is an American orchestral conductor and pianist. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra ( CSO) is an American orchestra based in Chicago Illinois.

Aquarium is used as the opening and closing theme in the 1992 film documentary, Visions of Light. The year 1992 in film involved many significant films (For more about films in foreign languages check sources in those languages Visions of Light ( is an American and Japanese documentary, directed by Arnold Glassman Todd McCarthy and Stuart Samuels

A surf-rock version of Aquarium covered by Dick Dale was used as the theme song of the Space Mountain roller coaster at Disneyland in California from 1996 to 2003. Dick Dale (born Richard Anthony Monsour on May 4, 1937, in Boston, Massachusetts) is a Surf rock guitarist, Space Mountain at Disneyland in Anaheim, California is the second incarnation of the Magic Kingdom 's Space Mountain. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. This same version was featured in the game Walt Disney World Quest: Magical Racing Tour

The Swan is used in the 2005 film My Summer of Love by P. Walt Disney World Quest Magical Racing Tour is an interactive game based on attractions at the Walt Disney World Resort. Swans are Birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and Ducks Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in The year 2005 in film involved some significant events Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Devil's Rejects, Cheaper My Summer of Love ( 2004) is a British film written and directed by Pawel Pawlikowski. Pawlikowski. Tamsin performs it on her cello when Mona visits her house for the first time.

Aquarium is featured in the trailers for the 2006 film Charlotte's Web and the 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and appears to be one of the influences on the main theme in Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast. The year 2006 in film involved some significant events Releases of sequels took place with Superman Returns, Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest Charlotte's Web is a Live-action / Computer-animated Feature film, based on the popular book of the same name by E "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is a 1922 short story by F Walter Elias Disney (December 5 1901 – December 15 1966 was a multiple Academy Award -winning American Film producer, director, Screenwriter BATB redirects here If you were looking for Back at the Barnyard which is abbreviated as BATB see here. It is also the opening theme music to the 1978 film Days of Heaven(Weirdly both Aquarium and Days of Heaven soundtrack have both appeared within two mintues of each other on a Ren and Stimpy episode. The year 1978 in film involved some significant events Top grossing films (U Days of Heaven is a 1978 film written and directed by Terrence Malick and starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard Days of Heaven is a 1978 film written and directed by Terrence Malick and starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard The Ren and Stimpy Show is an American / Canadian animated television series created by Canadian Animator John In the Simpsons episode "The Wife Aquatic", the music is played throughout. "The Wife Aquatic" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons ' eighteenth season, which originally aired January 7,

Australian/British classical crossover string quartet Bond remade a version of the Aquarium movement on their album Born, although Camille Saint-Saëns is uncredited[1]. Bond (often typeset as bond in deference to the owners of the 007 Born is the first Album released by the classical crossover String quartet Bond. Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (/ʃaʁl kamij sɛ̃sɑ̃s/ (9 October 1835 &ndash 16 December 1921 was a French Composer, Organist, conductor, and

In Crash Tag Team Racing, "Aquarium" is played in the Once Upon A Tire track when the player character is losing. Crash Tag Team Racing is a Racing game published by Sierra Entertainment and developed by Radical Entertainment for the PlayStation 2

External links

• The Carnival of the Animals at the Internet Movie Database
• Fantasia 2000 at the Internet Movie Database
• recording with Neal and Nancy O'Doan and the Seattle Youth Symphony conducted by Vilem Sokol in Ogg Vorbis format
• The Carnival of the Animals was available at the International Music Score Library Project. Vorbis is a free and open source, lossy audio Codec project headed by the Xiph The International Music Score Library Project ( IMSLP) is a project for the creation of a virtual library of Public domain music scores, based on the
• Video Performance of Le Cygne by Julian Lloyd Webber
• Bond discography - Born, featuring the "Aquarium" movement as "Oceanic"