Saint-Saëns - Carnival of the Animals

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) was a French composer who wrote in most musical genres, and was also a poet and playwright. 

The term "precocious" could have been coined for him as he begun piano lessons aged just two and a half, and had composed his first piece by the age of three. By seven he was studying composition, and when ten gave a concert which included Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto and Mozart's Concerto K.460. By thirteen he was at the Paris Conservatory, and his career was helped by the support of such composers as Berlioz and Liszt.

As a composer of "serious" music, it might have irked Saint-Saëns somewhat to know that one of his most popular pieces would be The Carnival Of The Animals. Written for private performance - given on 9th March 1886 - this short suite of 14 movements was regarded by the composer as a bit of fun, and he gave express instructions that the work wasn't to be published in his lifetime as he didn't want to harm his reputation. It was duly published in 1922, a year after his death, and had its first public performance the same year.

Each of the movements portrays an animal (including the human animal). . . 

Cartridge: Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star

Phono amp: Graham Slee Accession MC

Turntable: CTC Classic 301 with SME M2-12R