Description
At Saint-Saëns’s request, “The Carnival of the Animals” was not to be published. In his genius, he wrote this piece very quickly for the commission “Musical Parodies,” which was part of the curriculum of the private music school in Paris where he worked. On Shrove Tuesday in Austria, Saint-Saëns performed The Carnival of the Animals for the first time as a pianist together with his friend, the cellist Charles Leboue. I am delighted to be able to publish this brilliant, lively, and humorous piece for double bass and piano, as in this version the double bass can embody not only the elephant and the tortoise, but also the swan, the roosters, and even a cuckoo. It is therefore perfectly suited for a children’s concert, for which I primarily published this piece. I would be delighted if as many bassists as possible would perform The Carnival of the Animals for children.
Michinori Bunya
