Camille Saint Saëns Danse Macabre

Danse Macabre (first performed in 1875) is the name of opus 40 by French composer Camille SaintSaëns. The composition is based upon a poem by Henri Cazalis, on an old French superstition: Zig, zig, zig, Death in a cadence, Striking with his heel a tomb, Death at midnight plays a dancetune, Zig, zig, zig, on his violin. The winter wind blows and the night is dark; Moans are heard in the linden trees. Through the gloom, white skeletons pass, Running and leaping in their shrouds. Zig, zig, zig, each one is frisking, The bones of the dancers are heard to crack But hist of a sudden they quit the round, They push forward, they fly; the cock has crowed.