Carnival Francais - Omega Ensemble

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Fri 15 Aug 2014

I'm not a music critic, far from it actually, however, even I recognise a great piece when I see (hear) it. Le Carnaval des animaux (Carnival of the animals), is a musical suite composed by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by the Omega Ensemble. Comprising of 14 movements, each piece represents a different animal, or group of animals, as well as a movement called 'the pianists' (an insider joke by Saint-Saens).



The musicians use different instruments and sounds to represent the animals musically. For example, the introduction (lion) is loud, bold and strong, while movement 3 (swift animals) has fast beats and a quick rhythm. Movement 4 (tortoises) is a slow and deliberate piece, while movement 6 (kangaroos) somehow evokes the sensation of a kangaroo jumping.



Having never heard this suite before, I enjoyed it immensely. Each movement is different, and contrasts nicely with the previous one. The music is wide-ranging, with slow, medium and fast rhythms, and use of high and low notes. What makes this suite so great is the way the spirit of each animal is reflected in each movement. The use of pitch, contrast of different sounds and instruments makes for an enjoyable evening.



I'd recommend Carnival Français for everyone, but particularly for those who don't normally listen to classical music. It's delightful, entertaining, and well worth the money, and a good way to introduce yourself to the (classical) music scene.

#music
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#performing_arts
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#august
!date 15/08/2014 -- 15/08/2014
%wnsydney