5002 – Some Animals at a Carnival

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

Arranged by Roger Harvey

Difficulty: Medium

Price: £22.50

Programme notes:

1. The Royal March of the Lions
2. Hens and Cockerels
3. Tortoises
4. Kangaroos
5. The Cuckoo in the Deep Wood
6. The Elephant

The Carnival of the Animals was written in 1886 during Saint-Saëns most successful period. This set of witty characatures was dashed off in a few days, during a holiday, for his students at the Ecole Niedermeyer to perform. He must have felt somewhat embarrassed by its frivolity, however, being engaged at the time on serious orchestral and chamber works, and, apart from ‘The Swan’ banned its performance during his lifetime. He would no doubt have been mortified to know that this is now his most popular and most performed work.

This version for brass includes 6 of the original 14 movements.

Performance notes:

1. Play in a martial, noble style but make sure the lions ‘roar’ in the chromatic figures.
2. Try to make the voices join up (2 trumpets, horn and trombone) to give the effect of some rather excited birds! Play the slurred figures quasi glissando.
3. Keep the accompanying triplets as smooth and gentle as possible. Take breaths as necessary but try not to disturb the pattern.
4. Take time between the figures to remove or replace the mutes.
5. The 1st trumpet can play from off-stage or muted it required to suggest distance.
6. Although the tuba should suggest a heavy animal, do not choose too slow a tempo or the style will become ponderous.