Carnival! – The Rainforest Foundation (CD)

A benefit for the Rainforest Foundation, founded by Sting and his wife, the disc has as its centerpiece a 25-minute rendition of Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Le Carnaval des Animaux”, played by pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque, and featuring Evelyn Glennie on percussion; the 16 other tracks are intended as a complement to this work, and the compilers asked the participants to choose a song from their childhood or that had a message for children. The result is a set of mostly traditional lullabies and folk songs. The major exceptions are Madonna and Paul Simon, who wrote new songs. New or old, however, the most of the material is calm and reflective.

Featuring specially recorded tracks from leading Pop and World music artists:
SHAWN COLVIN
ELTON JOHN
ANNIE LENNOX
MADONNA
BETTE MIDLER
LUCIANO PAVAROTTI
PAUL SIMON
STING & JIMMY NAIL
JAMES TAYLOR
TINA TURNER
RUBÉN BLADES
THE CHIEFTAINS
JOHNNY CLEGG
SHARON KATZ & THE PEACE TRAIN
GEOFFREY ORYEMA
ZUCCHERO
and a brand new recording of Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of the Animals”, including performances by top contemporary classical artists.

Track Listing

1. Waters of Tyne – Sting ; Jimmy Nail
2. An Gaoth Aneas (The Winds from the South) – The Chieftains
3. Dream Angus – Annie Lennox
4. Va Pensiero (Fly Thoughts) – Zucchero
5. Sweet and Low – Bette Midler
6. Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle (You Came Down from the stars) – Luciano Pavarotti
7. Abide with Me – Elton John
8. All Through the Night – Shawn Colvin
9. Lapwony – Geoffrey Oryema
10. Freedom – Madonna
11. No Voy a Dejarte Arder (I Will Not Let You Burn) – Ruben Blades
12. Ufomeni Uyangithanda (The Foreman Likes Me) – Johnny Clegg
13. Ten Years – Paul Simon
14. Nkosi Sikelel’ I Afrika (Lord Bless Africa) – Sharon Katz ; the Peace Train
15. I Bought Me a Cat – James Taylor
16. The Carnival of the Animals: No.1 Introduction and the Royal March of the Lion – Katia ; Marielle Labeque/Viktoria Nullova/Alexej Nagovitsyn/Misha Maisky
17. The Carnival of the Animals: No.2 Hens and Roosters – Katia ; Marielle Labeque/Richard Stoltzman/Viktoria Mullova/Alexej Nagovitsyn/Yuri Bashmet
18. The Carnival of the Animals: No.3 Wild Asses – Katia ; Marielle Labeque
19. The Carnival of the Animals: No.4 Tortoises – Katia Labeque/Viktoria Mullova/Alexej Nagovitsyn/Yuri Bashmet/Misha Maisky/Gary Karr
20. The Carnival of the Animals: No.5 the Elephant – Katia ; Marielle Labeque
21. The Carnival of the Animals: No.6 Kangaroos – Katia ; Marielle Labeque
22. The Carnival of the Animals: No.7 Aquarium – Katia ; Marielle Labeque/Benoît Fromanger/Evelyn Glennie/Viktoria Mullova/Alexej Nagovitsyn
23. The Carnival of the Animals: No.8 Personages with Long Ears – Viktoria Mullova/Yuri Bashmet
24. The Carnival of the Animals: No.9 the Cuckoo in the Woods – Katia ; Marielle Labeque/Richard Stoltzman
25. The Carnival of the Animals: No.10 Aviary – Katia ; Marielle Labeque/Benoît Fromanger/Viktoria Mullova/Alexej Nagovitsyn/Yuri Bashmet
26. The Carnival of the Animals: No.11 Pianists – Lily Maisky/Misha Mullova
27. The Carnival of the Animals: No.12 Fossils – Katia ; Marielle Labeque/Richard Stoltzman/Evelyn Glennie/Viktoria Mullova/Alexej Nagovitsyn
28. The Carnival of the Animals: No.13 the Swan – Katia ; Marielle Labeque/Misha Maisky
29. The Carnival of the Animals: No.14 Finale – Katia ; Marielle Labeque/Benoît Fromanger/Richard Stoltzman/Evelyn Glennie/Viktoria Mullova
30. Row Row Row Your Boat – Tina Turner

Length: 01:17:25

Artists (in order of appearance on back cover)

Sting
Jimmy Nail
The Chieftans
Annie Lennox
Zucchero
Luciano Pavarotti
Elton John
Shawn Colvin
Geoffrey Oryema
Madonna
Ruben Blades
Johnny Clegg
Paul Simon
Sharon Katz & The Peace Train
James Taylor

Katie & Marielle Labèque – pianos
Benoît Fromanger – flute
Richard Stolzman – clarinet
Evelyn Glennie – percussion
Viktoria Mullova – 1st violin
Alexej Nagovitsyn – 2nd violin
Yri Bashmet – viola
Misha Masiky – cello
Gary Karr – bass
Lily Maisky and Misha Mullov – pianos in ‘Pianists’

Tina Turner

Label

RCA Victor
74321 44769 2
F: BM600, LC 0316

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Not available digitally on Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Music.

Additional information