The Elephant

Camille Saint-Saëns’ Le Carnaval des animaux is perhaps the composer’s most famous piece, though was written as a piece of fun. The humorous work contains fourteen movements, each depicting a different ‘animal’ (though the list of animals includes ‘pianists’ and ‘fossils’). L’éléphant, of course, is given to the lowest instrument of the orchestra: the double bass. This edition of the work by Cathy Elliott includes suggestions of fingerings and bowings for the performer.