Composer, Director, Conductor & Performer  
 Poems by Marvin Bell   Poems & Score 

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The Animals  
for baritone and piano accompaniment  

We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.
- Immanuel Kant

Written during the summer of 2009, The Animals is a cycle of nine songs written and dedicated to Stephen Swanson, who premiered them in October of that year. Poet Marvin Bell created the texts specifically for this cycle. The work not only takes inspiration from the Ravel and Poulenc animal songs, but is also rooted in the American tradition: Gershwin's Tin Pan Alley, and more recently the songs of William Bolcom.



 Poems by Marvin Bell   Poems & Score