The Piano Guys transform One Direction with Saint-Saëns

23 May 2014, 10:18 | Updated: 28 May 2014, 21:38

The piano-cello duet takes inspiration from the 'storybook feel' of music by the French composer to transform One Direction's smash hit into a classical cello melody.

Globe-trotting musicians Steven Sharp Nelson and Jon Schmidt have taken a break from performing at the Seven Wonders of the World to re-work a version of an unlikely pop track - One Direction's 'Story Of My Life'. Rather than focusing on their own performances in the video, the music acts as a soundtrack for a short animated film.

"As we began our arrangement of One Direction’s 'Story of My Life' we wanted it to feel like each note of the music was a word in a vivid story being told," they said. "When writing a song sometimes you just need a little spark. That catalyst came from a piece of classical music - one that had such a storybook feel to it that we gleaned inspiration from it: Saint-Saëns' Aquarium from his Suite 'Carnival of the Animals'. It’s an incredibly beautiful and transportive piece."

Watch: The Piano Guys interviewed on viral classical music

The story behind the video takes inspiration from the life of a tree, and how it intertwines with the boy who planted its seed. As the boy's life approaches its end, he knows he will live on through the story of the tree.

This is not the first time The Piano Guys have taken on music by One Direction. Their 2012 video featuring five performers playing What Makes You Beautiful on a single piano has received more than 32million views on YouTube.