Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago

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Score: petruccimusiclibrary.ca/files/imglnks/caimg/0/0d/IMSLP861524-PMLP563282-Poulenc_-_Les_animaux_modèles_(Full_Score).pdf
Audio: youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lem35qO4PZcYfhHG7Fl6PQhdAFfTLHrkM
BBC Concert Orchestra
Bramwell Tovey, conductor

0:00 I. Le petit jour (Dawn)

3:42 II. L'ours et les deux compagnons (The Bear and the Two Travelers)
"Seigneur ours, comme un sol, donna dans ce panneau."

Two men were traveling together, when a Bear suddenly met them on their path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree and concealed himself in the branches. The other, seeing that he must be attacked, fell flat on the ground, and when the Bear came up and felt him with his snout, and smelt him all over, he held his breath, and feigned the appearance of death as much as he could. The Bear soon left him, for it is said he will not touch a dead body. When he was quite gone, the other Traveler descended from the tree, and jocularly inquired of his friend what it was the Bear had whispered in his ear. “He gave me this advice,” his companion replied. “Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger.”

8:29 III. La cigale et la fourmi (The Grasshopper and the Ant)
"Elle alla crier famine"

The ants were spending a fine winter’s day drying grain collected in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him, “Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?” He replied, “I had not leisure enough. I passed the days in singing.” They then said in derision: “If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter.”

14:34 IV. Le lion amoureux (The Lion in Love)
"Amour, Amour quand tu nous tiens"

A lion demanded the daughter of a woodcutter in marriage. The Father, unwilling to grant, and yet afraid to refuse his request, hit upon this expedient to rid himself of his importunities. He expressed his willingness to accept the Lion as the suitor of his daughter on one condition: that he should allow him to extract his teeth, and cut off his claws, as his daughter was fearfully afraid of both. The Lion cheerfully assented to the proposal. But when the toothless, clawless Lion returned to repeat his request, the Woodman, no longer afraid, set upon him with his club, and drove him away into the forest.

21:24 V. L'homme entre deux âges et ses deux maîtresses (The Middle-Aged Man with Two Mistresses)
"Bien adresser n'est pas petite affaire"

A middle-aged Man, whose hair had begun to turn gray, courted two women at the same time. One of them was young, and the other well advanced in years. The elder woman, ashamed to be courted by a man younger than herself, made a point, whenever her admirer visited her, to pull out some portion of his black hairs. The younger, on the contrary, not wishing to become the wife of an old man, was equally zealous in removing every gray hair she could find. Thus it came to pass that between them both he very soon found that he had not a hair left on his head.

23:22 VI. La mort et le bûcheron (Death and the Woodcutter)
"Point de pain quelquefois, et jamais de repos"

An old man was employed in cutting wood in the forest, and, in carrying the bundles to the city for sale one day, became very wearied with his long journey. He sat down by the wayside, and throwing down his load, besought “Death” to come. “Death” immediately appeared in answer to his summons and asked for what reason he had called him. The Old Man hurriedly replied, “That, lifting up the load, you may place it again upon my shoulders.”

28:32 VII. Le combat des deux coqs (The Battle of the Two Roosters)
"La gent qui porte crète au spectacle accourut."

Two game Cocks were fiercely fighting for the mastery of the farmyard. One at last put the other to flight. The vanquished Cock skulked away and hid himself in a quiet corner, while the conqueror, flying up to a high wall, flapped his wings and crowed exultingly with all his might. An Eagle sailing through the air pounced upon him and carried him off in his talons. The vanquished Cock immediately came out of his corner, and ruled henceforth with undisputed mastery.

38:13 VIII. Le repas de midi (Lunchtime)