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Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33607000862261 | Juvenile Nonfiction | 785 PROKOFI | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
A picture book adaptation of the Prokofiev music.
Author Notes
The music of 20th century, Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev is a sharp mix of traditional and modern elements. His innovative style is characterized by emotional restraint, strong drumlike rhythms, harsh-sounding harmonies, and humor.
Prokofiev was born in the town of Sontzovka, in the Ukraine. His mother, an accomplished pianist, encouraged her young son to play along with her as she practiced. The young Prokofiev showed unusual talent and began composing music at the age of five. At the age of 13, he entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied with some of the finest teachers of the day, including Rimsky-Korsakov. By the time he graduated in 1914, Prokofiev has established himself as a musical innovator.
In 1918 Prokofiev left Russia to appear as a pianist and conductor in Europe and the United States. While in America, he composed his most popular opera, Love for Three Oranges (1919), a musical satire of traditional operatic plots and conventions. From 1922 to 1933, Prokofiev lived mostly in Paris, where he composed two ballets, three symphonies, and four concertos.
In 1934 Prokofiev returned to the Soviet Union. Back in his native land, Prokofiev's style mellowed, and he accepted the idea that a state-supported artist must appeal to a wide audience. During the next few years, he composed some of his most popular and best-known pieces, including Peter and the Wolf (1936) and Romeo and Juliet (1938). Prokofiev won the Stalin Prize during World War II. However, in 1948 Prokofiev and other leading Russian composers were denounced by Soviet Communist party leaders for "antidemocratic tendencies alien to the Soviet people." He returned to favor in the early 1950s and enjoyed great success in the Soviet Union, winning the Stalin Prize a second time. By the year of his death, in 1953, Prokofiev's music had become well known throughout the world.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (1)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-Grammy Award-winner Jim Dale artfully narrates the beloved tale of young Peter and his animal friends, and introduces a new generation to a story that has delighted audiences for three-quarters of a century. Written by Sergei Prokofiev, the story helps children become familiar with some of the instruments in the orchestra, while spinning a harrowing tale. Unlike other versions that have changed the ending or added narration, this presentation is more faithful to the original composition. The recording begins by introducing the characters and the instruments that will represent them. Young Peter ventures out beyond the garden gate, despite his grandfather's warnings about the vicious wolf living in the woods. Grandfather soon brings him back home, but then disaster strikes and the wolf gobbles up duck. Peter once again sneaks out and, with the help of his friends, cat and bird, captures the wolf with a very clever trick. Hunters who come out of the woods want to shoot the wolf, but Peter convinces them to take him to the zoo. Everyone then proceeds to the zoo, with the duck, still alive, quacking inside the wolf's belly! The music is superbly performed by the Seattle Symphony. A different instrument portrays each character and Jim Dale is a master of narration. He gives each character a distinct voice, telling Peter's tale with wit and great suspense. A wonderful introduction to the orchestra, and a delightful classic tale.-MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann and Thomas Jefferson Elementary Schools, Binghamton, NY (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.