A Birthday: Camille Saint-Saëns
Evening Music | May 6, 2010
Camille Saint-Saëns wrote one of his most popular works as an exercise in self-amusementnever intending it for public performance. Tonight, we’ll give a birthday nod to this marvelous French composer (born 1835) with his zoological program, “The Carnival of the Animals.”
During his lifetime, Camille Saint-Saëns only allowed one movement of his deliciously comic work “The Carnival of the Animals” to be published, with the proviso in his will that it could be published in its entirety only after his death. He also suppressed any public performances of the piece (originally written for chamber ensemble), preferring to perform it for close friends instead (such as Franz Liszt). A hilarious romp through the zoo, “Carnival” features lions, elephants, turtles, kangaroosyou name itall depicted in clever musical terms. Tonight, we’ll take the musical menagerie tour with the Sinfonia da Camera; Ian Hobson conducts and performs on piano as well.
During his lifetime, Camille Saint-Saëns only allowed one movement of his deliciously comic work “The Carnival of the Animals” to be published, with the proviso in his will that it could be published in its entirety only after his death. He also suppressed any public performances of the piece (originally written for chamber ensemble), preferring to perform it for close friends instead (such as Franz Liszt). A hilarious romp through the zoo, “Carnival” features lions, elephants, turtles, kangaroosyou name itall depicted in clever musical terms. Tonight, we’ll take the musical menagerie tour with the Sinfonia da Camera; Ian Hobson conducts and performs on piano as well.
