Search - Benjamin Britten, Sergey Prokofiev, Andre Previn :: Prokofiev:Peter and the Wolf; Britten:Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra;

Children Classics

M. Cecilia Reccius | Sao Paulo, Brazil | 04/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is something every parent or grandparent should find the time to cozily sit on a couch and listen to with a loved child very close to him/her. It opens the mind to the wonders offered by a musical instrument and makes your imagination wander away whenever you think about any of the animals mentioned or hear any of the instruments used to portray them. Lovely! An introduction to music that every child deserves."

The greatest danger is fear

Jacques COULARDEAU | OLLIERGUES France | 08/09/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Prokofiev here produces a rare and fresh musical story for children. A young boy decides one day to push the gate at the bottom of the garden and move into the big wild world and its dangers, a wolf and a cat. The boy is followed by his friend the duck and meets his other friend the bird who is saved by a split-hair chance from the teeth of the cat by Peter's cry of alarm. All dangers in the world are not from the deep forest. But a far worse danger comes from there : the wolf. If Peter is saved by his grandfather who takes him home, the duck is less lucky and ends up in the wolf's stomach. But Peter is looking after things with the help of the bird and they catch the wolf that is then taken to the zoo by the hunters. We are not always saved from dangers by big strong armed men, but mostly by our courage and inventive imagination. And the music tells us to be creative.This tale is perfectly served by the narrator's both deep and versatile voice that finds here a brand new field of artistic achievement and multiplies the music's real dramatic dimension, like a confidential story told to the listeners in their deepest ears as if he were an elfish fairy any kid would believe to be true and safe, in a word friendly.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU"

Great LOUD music, softly narrated

Sharon Russell | Houston, Texas United States | 06/02/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Although the dynamics are impressive on this CD, I am constantly adjusting the volume to accommodate my toddler. The volume range of the instruments varies from soft to VERY VERY LOUD. The narrator tells a very amusing version of Peter and the Wolf, in that the Wolf gets taken to the Zoo. However, he has a very soft voice, so I constantly have to turn the volume up to hear his voice and then down so that the music is not overwhelming. An older child might love this feature, but I would not advise it for young children."