Music — Peter and the Wolf — by Guest Mom Burgin Streetman
Though I don’t remember exactly what version we had on LP, Peter and the Wolf had a huge impact on me when I was young. Somewhere between wanting to dance the lead role in the Nutcracker Suite and lusting after Joshua Bell, it seeped into my subconscious and took hold forever. Imagined by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev in 1936 as a gift for his son, it was written expressly with children in mind, so any version is a wonderful way to expose your kids to classical music early.
It is the story of a boy and his grandfather, a bird, a duck, a cat, a handful of hunters, and a wolf – with each character identified within the score by a certain kind of instrument. The bird by a flute. The duck by the oboe. The cat by a clarinet. The grandfather a bassoon. Three French horns for the wolf. Timpani and bass drum for the hunters. And Peter by the string instruments.
Right now August rocks out hard on a 1978 version on LP by the Philadelphia Orchestra with David Bowie as narrator. One of my proudest moments came last week when as August and I were watching a live music performance, I pointed out an oboe and a clarinet in the orchestra, and he told me they were the duck and the cat, respectively. Nice, right?
posted by Gabrielle of Design Mom at Wednesday, June 25, 2008
8 Comments:
Oooh - I have very vivid memories of listening to Peter & the Wolf on my Mom's old record player - loved it! I've thought about trying to find a copy for my kiddos - now you've motivated me! :)
Thanks for reminding me about the Peter and the Wolf music. I have such special childhood memories of it too. Also, your posts have been wonderful. We went to the library yesterday and got some of your recommended books. My son and I are both entranced with "Flotsam". I'll be checking out your blog too for more great recommendations!
so much of raising kids right is getting reminded about the good stuff... that why i'm addicted to blog surfing!
thanks for the kind words...
We always loved this as children too. I remember lying on the wooden floor underneath our big black piano listening to it, and being scared out of my wits at the wolf parts! My kids love it too. I have a version with Peter and the Wolf as the first half of the disc and Carnival of the Animals on the second. Have you ever given that a listen? Leonard Bernstein directed it, it's very good, imaginative kid stuff too.
I loved Peter & the Wolf when I was little too--and still of course. My son has yet to get into it, but I'm working on him!!
at first my son was scared by the wolf too, but now he digs it!
Yes! I remember dancing around our living room as a child to Peter and the Wolf as well as the Carnival of the Animals - I am glad I'm not alone with that happy memory. How great to have the version with David Bowie!
My Grandma had series of records from Time Life Books featuring different composers. My sister and I completely wore out the Prokofiev vinyl listening to Peter and the Wolf so many times. We loved it! Then, to my great delight, my son's first grade class went to the St. Louis Symphony to hear it performed live. I got to be a chaperone and my 7 year old loved it just as much as I did. The conductor was great and went though and introduced each instrument. It was a terrific day!
(I do remember Carnival of the Animals too.)
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