The Swan

Description

“Le Cygne” (“The Swan”) from Le Carnaval des animaux (The Carnival of the Animals) by Camille Saint-Saëns, arranged for two pianos by Greg Anderson / Full score / Difficulty: Intermediate-advanced / Duration: 3 minutes / Pages: 5 / Copyright: 2007 / Work number: 024 / Appears on the album Reimagine / Spotify / Apple Music

Program Notes

Picture a lone swan cutting through glass-smooth water. In this two-piano arrangement of Saint-Saëns’ “The Swan,” I’ve reimagined the piece to suit the expressive possibilities of the instrumentation. The familiar cello line glides between keyboards, embedded in shimmering, fluid Rachmaninoff-inspired textures that conjure the soft ripples trailing in the swan’s wake. What begins as a portrait of a bird becomes an invitation to linger in beauty.

— Greg Anderson