Musicians usually have a good sense of humor. Those who don’t are either at the very top or the very bottom of the music world.

A lot of educators use Camille Saint-Saëns‘ Carnival of the Animals as an introduction to Art Music for very young listeners. The lesson usually goes like this:

TEACHER: Ok class, we’re going to listen to some music now. (plays music) Now what did that make you think of?
STUDENT #1: I have a dog named muffin.
TEACHER: That’s nice. Does it remind you of anything?
STUDENT #2: It sounds like SpongeBob.
TEACHER: Well, this music is about an animal! What animal does it make you think of?
STUDENT #3: A Velociraptor.
TEACHER: Don’t you think it sounds like chickens?
STUDENT #4: I think I’m going to throw up.
TEACHER: Let’s do some coloring instead.

Saint-Saëns piece is delightful enough to be enjoyed by little ones, but has some wicked humor in it aimed at adults. Among the “animals” that he paints with music are: Elephants, Donkeys, Birds, Pianists, People with Long Ears (i.e. music critics), and Fossils. He satirically quotes dozens of musical compositions throughout the work: his own Danse Macabre as well as Berlioz’ Faust, Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Offenbach’s Can-Can, Rossini’s Barber of Seville, and more.

This election year was horrible on so many accounts. Without humor I would have crawled away into a cave until it was all over. So, go vote today, and in the meantime, enjoy “Elephants” and “Donkeys”.

 

Francis Poulenc‘s first song cycle was Le bestiaire. It was never a “smash hit” as far as Art Music goes, but it remains in the repertory for a number of reasons. It demonstrates Poulenc’s compositional talent, early in his career, while he was still serving in the French army during World War I. It’s not exactly avant-garde, but it’s modern enough to catch you off-guard if you’re not used to the Art Music of the 20th century. And, if you do find the modern sound a bit challenging, the pieces are short and sweet, and the subject matter, fun (animals!) Finally, it helps to introduce French Art Song, or mélodie, to budding voice students.

The movements are:

1. The Dromedary (there’s your HUMP DAY joke)
2. The Goat
3. The Grasshopper
4. The Dolphin
5. The Crayfish
6. The Carp