Name: David Bowie narrates Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf & The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by David Bowie
Brand: David Bowie
SKU: 886444122573
Price: 9.9 USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Rating: 3 (287 reviews)

ALBUM

In 1982, David Bowie released In Bertolt Brecht's "Baal"; four years earlier, the prestigious RCA Red Seal classical label had Bowie narrating Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, and with his stint on Broadway as The Elephant Man, the artist stretched himself brilliantly. There is not enough spoken word by popular recording artists in today's world. Steven Tyler may show up on a Kerouac tribute performing one track; Grace Slick, Lou Reed, Peter Frampton, Marty Balin, and so many others have cut promotional interview discs for insiders, but it is surprising how the record industry has, for the most part, ignored this inexpensive and wonderful format to further endear artists to their fans. Jim Morrison's poetry, after all, was all that was left when Elektra published An American Prayer -- and that fans purchase low-quality bootlegs of many artists should have been a signal in the past to deliver this type of product to the marketplace. The scarcity of such projects makes Bowie's close to 30 minutes of narration that much more delightful. The Peter and the Wolf album is divided into two sides. The narration by David Bowie of public domain material originally written by Prokofiev takes up 27 minutes and eight seconds, while the second side of this green-colored vinyl LP has 17 minutes and ten seconds of Eugene Ormandy conducting Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ormandy and the aforementioned musicians from Philly also back up Bowie on side one. This RCA Red Seal release includes detailed liners and the project, according to Mary Campbell's notes, is specifically geared to "introduce children to the sounds of the individual instruments in the symphony orchestra." Both Prokofiev and Britten wrote their respective pieces with this aim in mind. That makes this record all the more charming -- imagine what it could do if teachers would actually use it on a large scale to educate? As for Bowie's performance, it is splendid. He tells the well-known fable with his usual eloquence and style, and gives instructions at the beginning for kids to understand how the music corresponds to characters in the story. The accompaniment from the Philadelphia Orchestra is first rate, the lush sounds more exciting on the Bowie side than on Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell, which makes up side B. Interesting how this project, if promoted today, could bring the name David Bowie to a huge audience of young people. A remarkable and well-crafted project. ~ Joe Viglione

David Bowie narrates Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf & The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

Product information

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1. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): Introduction

2. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): The Story Begins

3. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): The Bird Diverts the Wolf

4. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): The Duck, Dialogue with the Bird, Attack of the Cat

5. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): Grandfather

6. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): The Wolf

7. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): The Duck is Caught

8. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): The Wolf Stalks the Bird and the Cat

9. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): Peter Prepares to Catch the Wolf

10. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): The Bird Diverts the Wolf

11. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): Peter Catches the Wolf

12. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): The Hunters Arrive

13. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (Remastered): The Procession to the Zoo

14. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Theme: Full Orchestra

15. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Theme: Woodwinds

16. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Theme: Brass

17. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Theme: Strings

18. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Theme: Percussion

19. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Theme: Full Orchestra

20. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation I: Flute, Piccolo (Presto)

21. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): March 27 and 28, 1974

22. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation III: Clarinets (Moderato)

23. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation IV: Bassoons (Allegro alla marcia)

24. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation V: Violins (Brilliante alla pollaca)

25. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation VI: Violas (Meno mosso)

26. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation VII: Cellos

27. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation VIII: Doublebasses (Comminciando lento, ma poco accel.)

28. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation IX: Harp (Maestoso)

29. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation X: French Horns (Il stesso tempo)

30. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation XI: Trumpets (Vivace)

31. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation XII: Trombones & Tuba (Allegro pomposo)

32. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Variation XIII: Percussion (Moderato)

33. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34 (Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell): Fugue: Full Orchestra (Allegro molto)

34. The Nutcracker Suite: Overture

35. The Nutcracker Suite: March

36. The Nutcracker Suite: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies

37. The Nutcracker Suite: Russian Dance

38. The Nutcracker Suite: Arab Dance

39. The Nutcracker Suite: Chinese Dance

40. The Nutcracker Suite: Dance of the Merlitons

41. The Nutcracker Suite: Waltz of the Flowers

Technical Specifications