The Carnival of the Animals arranged for Two Flutes [Playing score(s)]

It's such a great idea to arrange Carnival of the Animals for two flutes, and this lovely book will allow access to all those famous tunes! It is inevitable that the standard of the movements will vary and as a result the book can be used in a wide variety of situations. Characters with Long Ears for example, will test ensemble, The Cuckoo reading in four sharps. whilst The Aquarium, Wild Asses and of course The Aviary are technically demanding. Hens and Roosters can be played on the piccolo too which will add even more interest to any performance. Seubel and Beck wish us lots of fun with this book - no problem there!

This is an arrangement for flute duet of Saint-Saens popular orchestral work.  Inevitably, a reduction of an orchestral piece for two single line instruments will result in some omissions, but on the whole the arrangement is convincing, fun, and idiomatic for the flute.  The Preface provides some suggestions for alternative fingerings and  and performance techniques,and one has the sense that this German duo of players and arrangers have had a lot of fun bringing this music to the public.

The parts are well matched, and despite a few more tricky moments (for example, the famous Voliere solo), most of the movements could be played by intermediate players.  Mention is made of the potential to use piccolos in the Aquarium; potentially the bass flute could be used for the Elephant too, and I can imagine different duos coming up with their own versions of the instrumentation to suit their own interests and strengths.

The edition is beautifully presented, with an entertaining cover featuring animal cartoons, and well laid-out and clearly printed scores.  This will undoubtedly be a huge hit for players and listeners of all ages, both within educational environments and in the wider world.  Recommended.