{"id":66534,"date":"2020-12-01T12:35:34","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T12:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=66534"},"modified":"2020-12-01T12:35:34","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T12:35:34","slug":"carnival-of-the-animals-the-kanneh-masons-breathe-new-life-into-saint-saens-zoological-classic-with-help-from-michael-morpurgo-and-olivia-colman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2020\/12\/carnival-of-the-animals-the-kanneh-masons-breathe-new-life-into-saint-saens-zoological-classic-with-help-from-michael-morpurgo-and-olivia-colman\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Carnival Of The Animals’ – The Kanneh-Masons Breathe New Life Into Saint-Sa\u00ebns’ Zoological Classic With Help From Michael Morpurgo And Olivia Colman"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have to admit something – I’d never heard of The Kanneh-Masons before being given the opportunity to review this album, released via Decca. But I *had* heard, and heard OF ‘Carnival Of The Animals’. And I’d heard of Michael Morpurgo, and Olivia Colman.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

So – there was no reason for trepidation, as I knew what I was in for – and indeed, even if I had, there’d have been no reason as the album is superb. ‘Carnival Of The Animals’, originally composed in 1886 by French Romantic composer, Camille Saint-Sa\u00ebns, serves, along with Prokofiev’s ‘Peter And The Wolf’, as an introduction to classical music for many children. And in the talented hands of The Kanneh-Masons, it’s glorious; sumptuous layering of sounds, that make you want to turn the volume up to 11 so the neighbours will finally realise how cultured you are (maybe I did that…).<\/p>\n

In addition to the stunning music (my favourite is ‘The Elephant’), each track is introduced by a poem, written by Michael Morpurgo, and recited by either himself or Olivia Colman. Morpurgo does it with the same enthusiasm as one would imagine he employs in front of a live audience – he EmphaSises, and STREsses, and brings his poems to life. Colman is almost as enthusiastic, but in a more, restrained, Nanny style way. Think Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins.<\/p>\n

The Kanneh-Masons are seven siblings, all of whom play either violin, piano, or cello. Accompanying them are viola player Timothy Ridout, violinist Ayla Sahin, clarinettist and composer Mark Simpson, Toby Hughes on double bass, flautist Adam Walker, Adrian Spillet on xylophone, and Scotland\u2019s Alasdair Malloy on the glass harmonica.<\/p>\n

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