Igudesman’s Carnival of the Animals

IGUDESMAN’S CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

Text by Aleksey Igudesman

1.    Here They Come............................................................................. 4'00''

2.    The Roaring Lion............................................................................ 1'15''

3.    Rooster’s Doodle............................................................................. 1'30''

4.    Time of Ass ….................................................................................. 1'30''

5.    Dancing Turtles .............................................................................. 2'15''

6.    Elegant Elephant ............................................................................ 1'30''

7.    Lemon Mousse or Kangaroos ..................................................... 1'15''

8.    Deep under the Sea ........................................................................ 2'30''

9.    The Wise Mule’s Oral Repertoire ................................................ 1’00’’

10.  The Cuckoo’s Famous Tale ......................................................... 2'30''

11.  Bird’s Call ......................................................................................... 1'45''

12.  Scaling Up and Down ................................................................... 2'15''

13.  Old Bones to Pick .......................................................................... 2’00’’

14.  Swanning Around .......................................................................... 3’15''

15.  That was it ........................................................................................ 3’00’’

1.   Here They Come

Here they come, they jump and crawl

Bowl and growl, some small, some tall

Fast as fire, slow as snow

All the animals all in a row.

Enter dear, please have no fear

Everyone is welcome here

All the creatures say hello

Some from waters deep below

Others from the skies above

 One can never get enough

 I can even see musicians

 Full of skills and great ambitions     

Welcome to this special day

Where animals will get to play

Just be patient, have no fear,

All the instruments you’ll hear

Dude, don’t be rude and listen to the flute

Oh boy, the oboe may be your toy

Don’t fret, the clarinet will win each bet

But soon the bassoon will fly to the moon.

The moment I was born, I loved the horn

My favorite pet may just be the trumpet

When traveling to Aruba, I listen to the tuba

(I’ve got to pick a bone with the saxophone)

Soft at times, at others sharp, 

is my mother’s plucking harp

(Everyone should play alone, according to the accordion)

All throughout the symphony one can hear the timpani

The greatest exhibitionists are surely the percussionists

If you like exquisite things, simply listen to the strings

Every victory begins, with virtuoso 1st violins

To avoid being too violent, 

the 2nd violins, like to stay silent       

Violas going at their own pace, 

may still slap you in the face 

A tranquil fellow, much more mellow, 

we hear the oh-so-spiritual cello

And as my ace, the face of grace, 

we have the great big double bass!

So now we start this roily race!

2.  The Roaring Lion

The animal to start our travel

May make you scared, your nerves unravel

His main is wild, his name is Brian

Our king, the kind, but roaring lion.

3.  Roosters Doodle

It may seem chic to watch a chick

You think you’ll even get a kick

….Out of chicken a breast, 

But someone may not be impressed

And when the rooster starts to doodle

Do not come near, he’ll peck your noodle!

4.  The Time of Ass

As moments flow, the time of Ass

He does his chores with great pizzazz

Being the leader of his class

He’s ready to go and kick some ass.

5.  Dancing Turtles

When turtles teach the tortoise

And tortoise taught the turtles

We’ll never know who taught us

To get across the hurdles

The dancing starts at midnight

And all the turtles ready

The steps don’t seem to be right

Please try to keep them steady.

6.  Elegant Elephant

Ferdinand, the elephant

Moves gracefully, so elegant

Each step upon the golden sand

Watch out, as you may not have planned

The scorching sun could burn and brand

Your trunk, and that would not be grand!

7.  Lemon Mousse or Kangaroos

If you really had to choose

And you’d have to voice that choice

Would you choose the Kangaroos

Jumping, making all that noise

Or would your choice be Lemon Mousse

Licking it with sour poise?

8.  Deep under the Sea

Deep under the sea

Is where I like to be

Of all the worry free

I try to say hi

To fish gliding by

Through seaweed they fly

It’s suddenly dark

I now hear a bark

Of Mark the shark

But he is okay

He just wants to say

That you may stay.

9.  The Wise Mule’s Oral Repertoire

„Hee-haw, Hee-haw, Hee-haw, Hee-haw!”

His eloquence puts me in awe

The wise mule’s oral repertoire

Gets more elaborate every bar

Be science, maths or algebra

Or how to swim or drive a car

And if he ever breaks the law

He says: „Hee-haw, Hee-haw, Hee-haw!”

10. The Cuckoo’s Famous Tale

The hunt was moved, no shots are heard

The forest peaceful, just one bird

That sings his famous major third

Is calling out to warn the herd

The Cuckoo sings his famous tale

The hunter moves, he’s bound to fail

He walks along and leaves the trail

If he does not, he’ll go to jail!

11. Birds Call

My nerves have borne a heavy toll, 

Life's brawl, chaotic, I lose control. 

I yearn for that most peaceful stroll.

My feathered friends, some large some small

I listen to my beloved birds' call.

No better way to calm my soul.

12. Scaling Up and Down

Hold on, what noise is this I hear?

I smell musicians full of fear

The reason is not very clear.

Is playing scales your only choice?

Are you aware they are just noise?

And don’t you want to have a voice?

I don’t believe in censorship

But scales are really not that hip

It’s time to show musicianship!

13. Old Bones to Pick

Years ago, a different age,

Dinosaurs where all the rage

They knew how to push and jostle

Now all that's left is their fossil

It may not be what they deserved

Yet some old bones are well preserved

Museums, is now where they belong,

Let’s celebrate their distant song.

14. Swanning Around

I look and see you far beyond 

You glide so softly on the pond

Of wetness you must be quite fond

Now all alone, the sun soon gone

The sight so special, my heart you won

So elegant, my pure white swan.

15. That was it

That was it, my dearest friend

Very soon, you’ll hear the end

I hope you liked this special blend

Musicians, animals our trend

Which one is which, I cannot say

But they all came to save the day

Some arrived, some were left out

But of one thing there is no doubt:

This piece is done, so it’s a rap

And now it’s simply time to clap!