Le cygne, pronounced: [lə siɲ], 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 (ISSN 1087-9501) is a scholarly journal, published once a year, in April, by the International Marie de France Society.
It is included in the Modern Language Association International Bibliography database.
I told my baby not to wake me
Not even for a cup of tea
Who could it be now?
Who could it be now?
Who could it be now?
Knocking on the Rastaman's door
I've got to get myself away
And find me a place where I'll be free
City life is getting me down
Even when I sleep I'm wearing a frown
It couldn't be the landlord
Could it be my baby?
I told her not to wake me
Not even for a cup of tea
Who could it be now?
Who could it be now?
Who could it be now?
Knocking on the Rastaman's door
Who could it be now?
Who could it be now?
Who could it be now?
Knocking on the Rastaman's door
I'm in deep meditation
Trying to find myself
Don't need no provocation
It's a minute after twelve
Now who dares to disturb
My tranquility
When I'm meditating
On the Almighty
Who could it be now?
Who could it be now?
Who could it be now?
Knocking on the Rastaman's door
I've got to get myself away
And find me a place where I'll be free
City life is getting me down
Even when I sleep I'm wearing a frown
It couldn't be the landlord
Could it be my baby?
I told her not to wake me