This show was about animals, pieces of music that refer to animals.
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
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The best-known classical piece for kids is Sergei Prokofiev’s Soviet
era story of Peter and the Wolf. Here
Leonard Bernstein narrates, and conducts.
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Bach / Brian Slawson: Das Roach
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Two-part Invention in A minor, No 13 by J. S. Bach, jazzed-up by
Brian Slawson, and performed on percussion. The title is, I believe, a sly reference to a song well-known in the Sixties called La Cucaracha, the Cockroach.
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Saint Saens: Carnival of the Animals
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This performance is narrated by Leonard Bernstein, who introduces the
movements. However, his forces are the
strings of the New York Philharmonic, two pianos, and several young special
soloists. For some of the pieces, I
used performances by Eugene Ormandy, and a very small chamber orchestra,
which seemed more appropriate, in particular the Donkeys, or People with Long
Ears.
Note: the famous Swan movement, written for Cello, is played on a
double bass!
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Introduction and Royal March Of The Lion, Cocks and hens, Tortoises, Elephants,
Kangaroos, Aquarium, People with Long Ears, Cuckoo in the heart of the Woods,
Aviary, Fossils, The swan, Finale
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Poulenc, de Brunhoff:
Babar the Little Elephant Meets the Old Lady |
This is a book in French by Jean De Brunhoff,
a French author, which was set to music by Francis Poulenc. It is narrated here by Jan Bookspan, and
performed by a special orchestra.
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Beatles: Hey Bulldog
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A relatively little-known piece by The Beatles, which was included in
the recent re-release of the soundtrack of Yellow Submarine
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Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela
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A beautiful piece by Jean Sibelius
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Flanders & Swann: The Gnu Song, The Sea horse, The Hippopotamus
Song
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A few animal-related songs by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann, from
The Bestiary of Flanders and Swann.
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Leroy Anderson: Waltzing Cat
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Leroy Anderson (of Sleigh Ride fame) wrote this piece for the Boston
Pops. This performance is by a Czech orchestra.
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Canteloube: Le Coucou
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Dawn Upshaw performs this song based on a folk song of the Auvergne
region in France.
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Beatles: I Am The Walrus
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John Lennon’s famous nonsense song.
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John Denver: The Eagle and the
Hawk
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An amazing song sung in John Denver’s highest register.
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Stravinsky: The Firebird
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The Firebird arrives in a garden, chased by Ivan.
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Rautavaara: Cantus Arcticus
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A piece by Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara,
which uses actual taped birdsong.
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