Peter and The Wolf – Mr. G's Music Stuff

Introduction

Peter and the Wolf is one of the most popular pieces of classical music ever written. It was written by Sergei Prokofiev, who was a Russian composer. He wrote this piece of music for the Children’s Theatre in Moscow. The idea for Peter and the Wolf was given to Prokofiev by the director of the Theatre, Natalya Sats. The idea was to introduce some of the instruments of the orchestra to children by hearing them as part of a piece of music that tells a story.

The Characters

Each of the characters in the story are represented by different instruments in the orchestra.

The Bird

The part of the bird is represented by the flute.

The Duck

The part of the duck is represented by the oboe.

Grandfather

The part of the grandfather is represented by the bassoon.

The Cat

The part of the cat is represented by the clarinet.

The Wolf

The part of the wolf is represented by the french horns.

The Hunter's Guns

The part of The Hunter’s Guns is represented by the kettle drums.

Peter

The part of Peter is represented by the strings.

Activities

Dancers use their bodies to tell a story, as we saw in The Nutcracker, and show the character’s thoughts and feelings.

As you listen to the story, using try moving your body to imitate the characters in Peter and the Wolf like the dancer in the video on the right. ➜

The light and carefree spirit of Peter
The fluttery bird
The hopping and swimming duck
The slinky steps of the cat’s paws
The stiff heavy steps of the old grandfather
The sly wolf
The stomping march of the strong hunters

Showtime!

Now it’s time to kick back, relax and enjoy the show. Watch it together with your grown up!

Discussion

Spend some time discussing the performance with your family. Think and talk about some of these questions.

Which was your favorite part?
Which was your favorite instrument?
In the story, what makes Peter seem like a real boy? Is he a good little boy? Do you know someone like Peter?
How is the character of Peter like you?
How were the sounds of the instruments connected to the characters they represent?
What made the part with the wolf so exciting?

Discussion questions

1. Do you think Peter really understood how dangerous it was to play in the meadow? Was grandfather’s rule to play only in the garden a good one? Are there times when we have to obey rules even if we don’t understand why they are there?

2. If you were Peter’s grandfather, how would you have felt about Peter’s actions? Would you feel proud of Peter because he captured the wolf, or would you be angry because he disobeyed you? Is it possible to feel two different ways about the same thing?

3. In the story, Peter becomes the hero by saving the animals. What are some other things that could have happened to Peter instead?

4. Peter shows great courage in capturing the wolf. Peter acts very brave, but do you think he might have been just a little afraid? Should he have been afraid? Would you be afraid? In order to be courageous, do you think one has to be at least a little afraid?

5. Can you think of another way Peter could have captured the wolf?

6. (For older students) When, if ever, is it better to disobey the rules instead of following them?

Piano

If you want to learn a song from Peter and the Wolf on piano, you can try out The Cat Theme!

Coloring

If you have a printer, I’ve included some coloring pages that you can print out and decorate if you’d like to.

Extra Treats

Peter and the Wolf, in under minute! 😃

Thanks, Zoe!!

Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Adventure – The Story of Peter and the Wolf

Featuring the Boston Pops Orchestra.

Walt Disney meets Sergei Prokofiev!

You might know that Mickey Mouse was created by a man named Walt Disney. On the right is video of Walt telling the story of the time he met Sergei Prokofiev and heard the story of Peter and the Wolf, which Disney made into a cartoon.

Just so you’re not confused, the pianist in the video is not Sergei Prokofiev, but a pianist named Ingolf Dahl who was playing the part of Prokofiev.