Choeur des Gamins (Chorus of the Street Children), from Carmen (string quartet)

Title: Choeur des Gamins (Chorus of the Street Children), from the opera Carmen

Composer: Georges Bizet, arr. David Gable

Instrumentation: Violin 1; Violin 2; Viola; Cello

Printout: 11 pages

Note: In Act I of Carmen, Bizet introduces a chorus of children pretending to be soldiers of the guard, presumably for the cuteness factor. Okay, WE know that there is nothing cute about homelessness of any sort, especially among children, but this is opera. Anyway, it’s a charming march, full of mock trumpet and fife calls: a sure-fire toe-tapper.

Other string quartet arrangements of selections from Carmen are available:

Aragonaise

Habañera

Intermezzo

Les Dragons d’Alcala

Marche des Contrebandiers (March of the Smugglers)

Prelude to Act I (Entrance of the Toreadors)

Séguedille

The Toreador’s Song

Tra-la-la Coupe-moi, brûle-moi