"Le cygne", pronounced[ləsiɲ], or "The Swan", is the 13th and penultimate movement of The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns. Originally scored for solo cello accompanied by two pianos, it has been arranged and transcribed for many instruments but remains best known as a cello solo.
The piece is in 6/4 time, with a key signature of G major and a tempo marking andantino grazioso. The slow cello melody is accompanied by almost constant broken chord figurations on the pianos. When performed as a separate movement, not in the context of The Carnival, "The Swan" is frequently played with accompaniment on only one piano.
This is the only movement from The Carnival of the Animals that the composer allowed to be played in public during his lifetime. He thought the remaining movements were too frivolous and would damage his reputation as a serious composer.
Because of its slow tempo and mostly legato performance indications, the movement is suitable for performance on the theremin and has joined Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise" and Jules Massenet's "Méditation" from his opera Thaïs among the classical works central to the theremin repertoire.
"Le cygne" illustrates the fleeting nature of beauty with its interpretation of the legend of the "swan song": A popular (albeit erroneous) belief among the ancient Greeks and Romans, who regarded the swan as the most beautiful of animals, was that the mute swan is silent until its final moments of life, during which it sings the most beautiful of all birdsongs.
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Montserrat Caballé recorded a version in which she vocalizes sections of the melody accompanied by a piano.
In the early 20th century, Clara Rockmore, the renowned thereminist, performed it on theremin with her sister Nadia Reisenberg accompanying her on the piano.
"Le cygne" is often known as The Dying Swan, after a poem by Tennyson. Inspired by swans that she had seen in public parks, Anna Pavlova worked with choreographer Michel Fokine, who had read the poem, to create the famous 1905 solo ballet dance which is now closely associated with this music. According to tradition, the swan in Pavlova's dance is badly injured and dying. However, Maya Plisetskaya re-interpreted the swan simply as elderly and stubbornly resisting the effects of aging; much like herself (she performed The Swan at a gala on her 70th birthday). Eventually the piece came to be considered one of Pavlova's trademarks.[1]
Hanyu performed the program as a tribute to the victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. On March 11, 2011, he was practising at his home rink in Sendai, when the earthquake hit the north-east coast of Japan. The program is a reflection of his own memories, having experienced a blackout at the evacuation center on the night of the disaster. In 2018, Hanyu performed the program at the annual charity event 24-hour TV "Love Saves the Earth" [ja] on Nippon TV.[4] His annual ice show with the title Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata is a special commemoration event of the earthquake, held at Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Rifu on the weekend of March 11.[5]
In 1949 the American synchronized swimmer Beulah Gundling created a routine inspired by Fokine's choreography and entitled "The Swan" to "Le cygne" by Saint-Saëns.[8][failed verification]
^羽生に大歓声エキシビションで「星降る夜」の華麗な舞い [Big cheers for Hanyu's brilliant performance to "Notte Stellata" at the exhibition gala]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. December 9, 2019. from the original on January 4, 2022.
^ abOriyama, Toshimi (December 21, 2020). 羽生結弦がタラソワ氏から贈られたプログラムで披露した成長 [The growth that Yuzuru Hanyu showed in the program gifted by Tarasova]. Sportiva (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo: Shueisha. from the original on December 21, 2020.
^『24時間テレビ』羽生結弦、ふるさとへの想い込め得意技披露 [24-hour TV: Yuzuru Hanyu shows off his special skills with a message for his hometown]. Oricon (in Japanese). Minato, Tokyo. August 25, 2018. from the original on July 19, 2019.
^"Hanyu Yuzuru to bring new ice show "notte stellata" to home prefecture Miyagi in March". International Olympic Committee. Lausanne. January 10, 2023. from the original on January 10, 2023.
^Gallagher, Jack (May 9, 2019). "Salute to Hanyu: U.S. Ballet troupe paying tribute to legend". The Japan Times. Chiyoda, Tokyo. ISSN 0447-5763. from the original on May 9, 2019.
^Jiwani, Rory (May 18, 2019). "Yuzuru Hanyu inspires ballet and piano tributes, and meets Alysa Liu". International Olympic Committee. Lausanne. from the original on October 28, 2022.
cygne, academic, journal, cygne, journal, pronounced, siɲ, swan, 13th, penultimate, movement, carnival, animals, camille, saint, saëns, originally, scored, solo, cello, accompanied, pianos, been, arranged, transcribed, many, instruments, remains, best, known, . For the academic journal see Le Cygne journal Le cygne pronounced le siɲ or The Swan is the 13th and penultimate movement of The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint Saens Originally scored for solo cello accompanied by two pianos it has been arranged and transcribed for many instruments but remains best known as a cello solo Swan inspiration for Saint Saens piece Le cygne Contents 1 Music 2 Transcriptions and adaptations 3 Uses in choreography 3 1 Notte Stellata The Swan by Yuzuru Hanyu 3 2 Other choreographies 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Sources 5 External linksMusic editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2023 Learn how and when to remove this message nbsp Le cygne The Swan source source Performed by John Michel cello Le cygne The Swan source source Performed by Alisa Weilerstein cello and Jason Yoder marimba Problems playing these files See media help The piece is in 6 4 time with a key signature of G major and a tempo marking andantino grazioso The slow cello melody is accompanied by almost constant broken chord figurations on the pianos When performed as a separate movement not in the context of The Carnival The Swan is frequently played with accompaniment on only one piano This is the only movement from The Carnival of the Animals that the composer allowed to be played in public during his lifetime He thought the remaining movements were too frivolous and would damage his reputation as a serious composer Because of its slow tempo and mostly legato performance indications the movement is suitable for performance on the theremin and has joined Sergei Rachmaninoff s Vocalise and Jules Massenet s Meditation from his opera Thais among the classical works central to the theremin repertoire Le cygne illustrates the fleeting nature of beauty with its interpretation of the legend of the swan song A popular albeit erroneous belief among the ancient Greeks and Romans who regarded the swan as the most beautiful of animals was that the mute swan is silent until its final moments of life during which it sings the most beautiful of all birdsongs Transcriptions and adaptations editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2023 Learn how and when to remove this message This article is in list format but may read better as prose You can help by converting this article if appropriate Editing help is available January 2023 In the 1890s Louis van Waefelghem adapted Le cygne for viola or viola d amore and piano The edition was published by Durand in 1895 In Leonard Bernstein s recording of the piece with the New York Philharmonic the melody is performed on double bass by a 20 year old Gary Karr Montserrat Caballe recorded a version in which she vocalizes sections of the melody accompanied by a piano In the early 20th century Clara Rockmore the renowned thereminist performed it on theremin with her sister Nadia Reisenberg accompanying her on the piano Steven Mead arranged the piece for euphonium and piano in 1995 in the key of E flat major Tony Renis created lyrics to Le cygne for the song Notte Stellata The Swan that appeared on Italian pop opera trio Il Volo s self titled debut album A jazz version was created by the Italian ensemble No Trio for Cats in 2021 under the title O Cisne de Janeiro A sped up more upbeat version of Le cygne was created for the video game Gran Turismo 7 Uses in choreography editFurther information The Dying Swan Le cygne is often known as The Dying Swan after a poem by Tennyson Inspired by swans that she had seen in public parks Anna Pavlova worked with choreographer Michel Fokine who had read the poem to create the famous 1905 solo ballet dance which is now closely associated with this music According to tradition the swan in Pavlova s dance is badly injured and dying However Maya Plisetskaya re interpreted the swan simply as elderly and stubbornly resisting the effects of aging much like herself she performed The Swan at a gala on her 70th birthday Eventually the piece came to be considered one of Pavlova s trademarks 1 Notte Stellata The Swan by Yuzuru Hanyu edit See also Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata nbsp Hanyu performing to Notte Stellata The Swan at the 2018 Winter Olympics Japanese figure skater and two time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu used Il Volo s adaption of Saint Saens Le cygne titled Notte Stellata The Swan as a program music at exhibition galas of various major skating competitions including the 2017 World Championships 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2019 20 Grand Prix Final 2 3 The song was suggested to him by Russian coach Tatiana Tarasova and choreographed by David Wilson from Canada 3 2 Hanyu performed the program as a tribute to the victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami On March 11 2011 he was practising at his home rink in Sendai when the earthquake hit the north east coast of Japan The program is a reflection of his own memories having experienced a blackout at the evacuation center on the night of the disaster In 2018 Hanyu performed the program at the annual charity event 24 hour TV Love Saves the Earth ja on Nippon TV 4 His annual ice show with the title Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata is a special commemoration event of the earthquake held at Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Rifu on the weekend of March 11 5 Hanyu s program served as inspiration for the ballet performance Notte Stellata by the American Crescendo Conservatory led by Christina Valdez at the Kauffmann Performing Arts Center in Kansas City Missouri on June 16 2019 6 7 Other choreographies edit In 1949 the American synchronized swimmer Beulah Gundling created a routine inspired by Fokine s choreography and entitled The Swan to Le cygne by Saint Saens 8 failed verification References editCitations edit Garafola 2005 pp 155 156 羽生に大歓声エキシビションで 星降る夜 の華麗な舞い Big cheers for Hanyu s brilliant performance to Notte Stellata at the exhibition gala Sports Nippon in Japanese Chiyoda Tokyo December 9 2019 Archived from the original on January 4 2022 a b Oriyama Toshimi December 21 2020 羽生結弦がタラソワ氏から贈られたプログラムで披露した成長 The growth that Yuzuru Hanyu showed in the program gifted by Tarasova Sportiva in Japanese Chiyoda Tokyo Shueisha Archived from the original on December 21 2020 24時間テレビ 羽生結弦 ふるさとへの想い込め得意技披露 24 hour TV Yuzuru Hanyu shows off his special skills with a message for his hometown Oricon in Japanese Minato Tokyo August 25 2018 Archived from the original on July 19 2019 Hanyu Yuzuru to bring new ice show notte stellata to home prefecture Miyagi in March International Olympic Committee Lausanne January 10 2023 Archived from the original on January 10 2023 Gallagher Jack May 9 2019 Salute to Hanyu U S Ballet troupe paying tribute to legend The Japan Times Chiyoda Tokyo ISSN 0447 5763 Archived from the original on May 9 2019 Jiwani Rory May 18 2019 Yuzuru Hanyu inspires ballet and piano tributes and meets Alysa Liu International Olympic Committee Lausanne Archived from the original on October 28 2022 Heim 2006 p 88 Sources edit Garafola Lynn January 28 2005 Legacies of Twentieth century Dance Middletown Connecticut Wesleyan University Press ISBN 978 0819566744 Heim Michael Henry 2006 Exploring Iowa Highways Trip Trivia Wabasha Minnesota Travel Organization Network Exchange ISBN 978 0974435855 External links editLe carnaval des animaux Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Portal nbsp Classical music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Le cygne amp oldid 1215379309, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
