A couple years ago with Jonathan (and thanks to him!), we attended a Joshua Bell family concert in Minneapolis of this piece and learned that it was not published during Saint-Saens' lifetime as he considered it too frivolous and potentially too damaging to his reputation as a composer. Only one movement, Le cygne ("The swan") did he allow to be published in his lifetime! It is amazing the breadth of emotion and expression that classical music expresses!
My favorite movements are the lion, the aquarium, and the swan. How about you? Your favorites?
If you do not own the music and want to hear this piece, this site lets you listen to some of it for free, though it restricts access to the US only so I was not able to test it.
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