

Saint-Saëns expanded the song as a tone poem in 1874, giving much of the vocal part to a solo violin, and using xylophone (then almost exclusively a folk instrument) to depict the rattling skeleton bones.

Which instrument is featured in Danse Macabre and fossils from Carnival of the Animals? The melody is played by the flute, backed by the strings, on top of tumultuous, glissando like runs in the piano. Instrumentation:Two violins, viola, cello (string quartet), two pianos, flute, and glass harmonica: this is one of the most musically rich movements. What instruments are used in Carnival of the Animals elephant? How is the cello played in Carnival of the animals?.When did the Carnival of animals come out?.Who is the composer of the Carnival of the animals?.

What are the instruments in the Carnival of the animals?.What are the 14 animals in The Carnival of the Animals?.What are the 14 animals in the Carnival of the Animals?.What instrument plays the bird aviary musical theme?.What instruments are in hens and roosters?.Which instrument is featured in Danse Macabre and fossils from Carnival of the Animals?.What instruments are used in Carnival of the Animals elephant?.Carnival of the Animals is also presented in its entirety in this arrangement for wind quintet and piano. Perhaps Saint-Saëns was insinuating that Mozart and Rossini were themselves musical fossils?Īrrangements also available for wind quintet, wind trio and bassoon quartet. In Fossils Saint-Saëns self-quotes some of the bone-rattling xylophone material from his Danse Macabre (which really brings to mind prancing, rattling skeletons) but also throws in a couple of nursery rhymes (including Twinkle, twinkle little star – which Mozart actually originated) and a snippet from Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. Amongst lions, wild asses, tortoises, an elephant, kangaroos, an aquarium, donkeys, a variety of birds and pianists (!), fossils – arranged here – also feature. The “Grand Zoological Fantasy” (as it is subtitled)- is a 14-part work in which a number of animals and habitats are musically portrayed. Today ‘ Carnival ‘ is probably his best-known work. However, concerned to maintain his reputation as a serious composer, save for The Swan, he did not allow it to be published during his lifetime. Camille Saint-Saëns wrote The Carnival of the Animals essentially for fun, whilst on holiday in Austria in 1886.
