Can you ``Can Can`` with Offenbach?

Updated: Jun 21

This is Jacques Offenbach, a German-Jewish composer and cello player. He was born June 20th, 1819 and died on October 5th, 1880.

He left Germany in 1833 and moved to Paris to study cello.

He is one of the original originators of the "Operetta". An Operetta is a short opera which is funny and there are speaking parts.

In his Operetta "Orpheus in the Underworld" there was a song entitled "Galop Inferno". This to many is known as the "Can-Can" song.

Many composers have written music for the "Can-Can", but the "Galop Inferno" by Offenbach is the most famous.

A "Can-can" is a high energy, physically demanding dance where you kick your legs high into the air. This dance became popular in music dance halls in the 1840's.

Take a listen to the music and see if you recognize it. Watch the dancers kick up their legs.

Starfall has a little story about the Offenbach's Can-Can

Try some body percussion

If that was a tad too difficult try this one and just clap or pat along to the rhythms.

Here is another video to tap the rhythms:

This one is for four people. You need a box, metal can, some cutlery and a lid.

Get up and try to do the "Can-Can"

Grab a couple of cans and do the "Can-Can"

Bucket Drum

Cups

Boomwhackers

Plate Routine

Line Rider

Sing-a-long with this video

Symfollies

Camille Saint-Saëns did a musical parody of the "Can-Can" song in his composition "The Carnival of the Animals". In this piece of music he wrote several songs for different animals, one of them being a tortoise (turtle). We all know turtles are famous for being very slow, so he took the fast "Can-Can" song and slowed it right down. Take a listen and learn some interesting facts about tortoises.