David Bowie Narrates Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids David Bowie Narrates Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf |
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| Studio album by
David Bowie with the Philadelphia Orchestra
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| Released | 2 May 1978 | |||
| Recorded | December 1977 | |||
| Studio | RCA Studio B, New York City | |||
| Genre | Classical | |||
| Length | 44:18 | |||
| Label | RCA Red Seal | |||
| Producer | Jay David Saks | |||
| David Bowie chronology | ||||
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David Bowie Narrates Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf is a special classical music album. It features the famous English musician David Bowie telling the story of Peter and the Wolf. This well-known musical story was created by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. The album also includes The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten.
The amazing music on the album is played by the Philadelphia Orchestra. They were led by the conductor Eugene Ormandy. This album came out in May 1978 on the RCA Red Seal record label. It even made it onto the US Pop Albums chart, reaching number 136. This shows it was quite popular!
Why David Bowie Narrated This Album
In December 1977, David Bowie traveled to New York City. He went there to record his voice for the Peter and the Wolf story. Interestingly, Bowie was not the first person RCA Records asked. They first asked two other famous actors, Alec Guinness and Peter Ustinov. Both of them said no to the project.
Bowie later shared a sweet reason why he took on the narration. He said it was a special Christmas gift for his son, Duncan Jones. At the time, Duncan was seven years old.
What Music is on the Album?
This album features two well-known classical pieces. Each one helps young people learn about different musical instruments.
Side One: Peter and the Wolf
- Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (by Sergei Prokofiev) – 27:08
- This piece tells a story using different instruments for each character. "Op. 67" means it was Prokofiev's 67th published work.
Side Two: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
- Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, opus 34 (by Benjamin Britten) – 17:10
- This piece helps you learn about all the different parts of an orchestra. "Opus 34" means it was Britten's 34th published work.
- This part of the album is narrated by Hugh Downs. The music is played by the Boston Pops Orchestra, conducted by Arthur Fiedler.
Who Worked on the Album?
Many talented people helped create this album. Here's a look at the main team:
Musicians |
Production Team
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Images for kids
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The original 1978 US green pressing of the LP
