Carnival of the Animals : Work information
- Composers
- (Charles) Camille Saint-Saens ( Music, Images,)
- Performed by
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrea Licata (Conductor)
This work
- Work name
- Carnival of the Animals
- Work number
- n/a
- Key
- n/a
- Genre
- A
- Composed
- 1886-01-01 02:00:00
This recording
- Label
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Producer
- Alan Peters
- Engineer
- Dick Lewzey
- Recording date
- 2000-01-01 02:00:00
The Artists
Conductor: Andrea Licata
Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1946 by Sir Thomas Beecham, who was the Music Director until his death in 1961. By handpicking the personnel of his Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Thomas attracted some of Britain's most outstanding musicians. Through its many concerts, recordings and broadcasts, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra became internationally established as a virtuoso body quite unlike any other orchestra, founding a unique tradition in which there was a combination of discipline and flexibility, individual artistry, virtuosity and ensemble that stemmed from Beecham's relationship with his chosen players. This tradition subsequently attracted conductors of the greatest quality and diversity.
In 1961, after Sir Thomas's death, Rudolf Kempe became Music Director and established new artistic and professional directions for the Orchestra. It was also during this period, in 1963, that the Orchestra became a self-governing body. This has been the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's form of constitution ever since; and in 1966 Her Majesty The Queen conferred the Royal title upon the Orchestra.
Following Rudolf Kempe, the Orchestra continued to attract some of the world's most outstanding conductors as Music Directors including Antal Dorati, Walter Weller, André Previn and Vladimir Ashkenazy. The Orchestra has also formed special associations with Lord Menuhin, Yuri Temirkanov and Sir Charles Mackerras. Since September 1996 the orchestra's Music Director has been the young Italian maestro, Daniele Gatti.
The Composers
(Charles) Camille Saint-Saens
Once described as the French Mendelssohn , Saint-Saëns was a talented and precocious child, with interests by no means confined to music. As a child he had lessons with Stamaty and Boëly, and made his debut as a pianist at the age of ten. He entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1848, where he was taught by Halévy. His extraordinary gifts won him the admiration of Gounod, Rossini, Berlioz and especially Liszt, who described him as the world’s greatest organist. Upon leaving the Conservatoire, he became organist at the Eglise Ste-Merry, and in 1857, at the Madeleine in Paris, a post he held until 1877. He also taught at the Ecole Niedermeyer between 1861 and 1865, where his pupils included Gabriel Fauré and Messager.
With only these jobs, Saint-Saëns spent a lot of time composing large numbers of works. He also travelled widely in Europe, South America and North Africa, and organised concerts of Liszt’s symphonic poems. He wrote on various musical, scientific and historical subjects, and tried to revive interest in older music, particularly that of J. S. Bach, Handel and Rameau. In 1871 he founded, together with Romain Bussine, the Société Nationale de Musique to revive the artistic and cultural value of French music. He also performed on the piano, being especially praised for his performances of Mozart.
Among some of his more notable works are some sonatas, especially the first each for violin and cello, some chamber music such as the Piano Quartet Op. 41, the symphonies, especially No.3, the ‘Organ’ Symphony (1886) and the concertos, including No. 3 for Violin and No.4 for Piano. Saint-Saëns also wrote some large-scale ‘dramatic’ works, including four tone poems and 13 operas, the most popular of which is Samson et Dalila (1877). One of his best-loved works is the suite Le Carnaval des Animaux (1886) (The Carnival of the Animals). Written as a joke, he forbade its performance during his lifetime, only allowing one movement, Le Cygne (The Swan) to be played. The music of his last years is said to have heavily influenced both Fauré and Ravel. Saint-Saëns also undertook extensive tours in Europe, the United States, South America and the far east. By the time of his death in 1921, however, his popularity in France had waned and many of his works were no longer played.
Track listing
-
Introduction and Royal March of the Lion
2:04 min
-
Hens and Cocks
0:48 min
-
Wild Asses
0:44 min
-
Tortoises
2:07 min
-
The Elephant
1:37 min
-
Kangaroos
0:57 min
-
The Aquarium
2:13 min
-
Persons with Long Ears
0:43 min
-
Cuckoo in the Heart of the Wood
2:11 min
-
The Aviary
1:18 min
-
Pianists
1:25 min
-
Fossils
1:29 min
-
The Swan
3:05 min
-
Finale
2:14 min
Notes
Saint-Saens' comic masterpiece, The Carnival of the Animals was written as a surprise item for a Mardi Gras concert in 1886. Merely a private joke, Saint-Saens would have been horrified to learn it has become his most popular work. Originally a work for chamber ensemble, it is more commonly heard in an expanded orchestral version.
Written at the same time as the Organ Symphony, The Carnival of the Animals parodies popular tunes and composers of the day. Berlioz, Offenbach, Rossini and Mendelssohn are all targets for the Frenchman's wit; listen in Tortoises for the incredibly slow version of Offenbach's Can-Can.
Only The Swan, the penultimate movement, was considered worthy enough by Saint-Saens for performance again during his lifetime; the rest of the work was banned for fear of destroying his reputation. Fortunately we can now enjoy the watery delights of The Aquarium, the charm of Fossils and all the others as well.