Yo-Yo Ma and Colbert's band perform a beautiful, jazzed-up version of 'The Swan' by Saint-Saëns

Yo-Yo Ma and Jon Batiste's band perform "The Swan"
(Image credit: Late Show)

"The Swan" is arguably the most beautiful movement of Carnival of the Animals by Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns, usually performed with just piano and cello. On Monday's Late Show, justifiably legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma played the tune with Stephen Colbert's house band, Jon Batiste and Stay Human. They didn't stick to the traditional arrangement, throwing in brushed drums, bass, guitar, and sax. With a lesser or more heavy-handed arrangement, that could have been a recipe for disaster. It wasn't. There's enough terrible news in the world — watch and enjoy some rare beauty below. Peter Weber

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Peter Weber

Peter Weber is a senior editor at TheWeek.com, and has handled the editorial night shift since the website launched in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University, Peter has worked at Facts on File and The New York Times Magazine. He speaks Spanish and Italian and plays bass and rhythm cello in an Austin rock band. Follow him on Twitter.