# Saint-Saëns, Le Carnaval des Animaux, XIII. Le Cygne

The most famous solo in the cello repertoire, the swan glides over rippling piano arpeggios.

## About the excerpt

- **Composer:** Camille Saint-Saëns

- **Work:** Le Carnaval des Animaux, XIII. Le Cygne

- **Movement:** Andantino grazioso

- **Era:** Romantic (c. 1820–1880)

- **Composed:** 1886

- **Key:** G

- **Metre:** 6/4

- **Tempo:** Andantino grazioso approximately 60 BPM

- **Clef:** Bass clef

- **Difficulty:** Comfortable

- **Audition list:** Not a standard excerpt

## Bowing

Long, gliding bow, seamless string crossings, no audible bow change.

## Style

Serene. Don't over-vibrate.

## Techniques

solo, famous, lyrical

This public reference contains work information and original practice notes. It does not publish the excerpt notation or grant permission to copy a score. Score access and rights depend on the edition and jurisdiction.

## Related excerpts

- [Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1, opening](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/saintsaens-concerto-1), Bursting cello entrance after a single orchestral chord. Pure athleticism. Audition; Romantic; Tenor clef. Standard audition excerpt.
- [Dvořák: New World Symphony, II, Largo](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/dvorak-9-ii), Hushed muted strings under the famous English horn solo. Total bow control at pp. Comfortable; Romantic; Bass clef.
- [Schubert: "Death & the Maiden", II, theme](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/schubert-death-maiden-ii), The cello plays the bass voice of the chorale-like theme, solemn, shrouded. Comfortable; Romantic; Bass clef.
- [Dvořák: Symphony No. 8, III, cello melody](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/dvorak-8-iii), A lilting, Slavic waltz. The cellos take the second statement of the theme. Intermediate; Romantic; Tenor clef.
- [Schubert: Symphony No. 9, II, cello melody](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/schubert-great-ii), The cellos take over the second statement of the lyrical Andante theme. Intermediate; Romantic; Tenor clef.
- [Mendelssohn: Italian Symphony, I, cello accomp.](https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/mendelssohn-italian-i), The driving cello/bass eighth-note accompaniment under the joyful violin theme. Intermediate; Romantic; Bass clef.

Canonical source: https://arcosounds.com/repertoire/cello/saintsaens-swan