Information about the piece

The Carnival of the Animals: The Swan is perhaps one of the most famous pieces composed by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns.

The piece was written in 1886 and was initially meant to be a private joke for friends, with Saint-Saëns specifically instructing that it should not be publicly performed during his lifetime. He feared that its lighthearted character would harm his reputation as a serious composer. The one exception he made was for The Swan, which became the only movement of the suite to be published during his lifetime.

The Carnival of the Animals: The Swan serves as the penultimate movement of the larger suite and is written for two pianos and a cello. It is set in a slow tempo and is based on a key of G major, creating an elegantly smooth and flowing texture that symbolically represents the gracefulness of a swan.

Harmonically, the piece uses a subtle degree of chromaticism adding a touch of melancholia to the graceful main theme. This theme, played legato on the cello, contrasts against an undulating accompaniment on the two pianos, mimicking the fluttering of the swan's wings.

On our site, we have a specially arranged intermediate version of the sheet music for The Carnival of the Animals: The Swan available for purchase and download. Tailored to suit pianists of intermediate skill level, this digital sheet music can significantly enhance your experience of playing Saint-Saëns’ beautiful composition.