Camille Saint-Saëns wrote the Carnival of the Animals as a piece of fun. In a February 1886 letter to his publisher, he confessed that he knew he should be working on his Third Symphony, but that this work was "such fun" ("... mais c'est si amusant!"). Now one ofSaint-Saëns's best known works, it is vastly popular with young children and encourages youth engagement in classical music. Of course, the Carnival of the Animals is equal fun for people of all ages and remains a staple in the repertoire of popular classical pieces. This arrangement for reed quintet includes ten of the original fourteen movements, including the Elephant, Fossils, and the Swan, and lasts around 17 minutes.

For pricing and availability of individual movements please email Ben Paley at driftwoodquintet@gmail.com.