Although Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf is now considered one of the composer's most popular works, Prokofiev lamented that its initial 1936 performance was "rather poor and did not attract much attention." The programmatic work recounts a story through the use of music and the employment of a narrator. Each character is represented by a particular instrument and is assigned a specific leitmotif (musical theme). Over time, Peter and the Wolf has burgeoned into an ideal pedagogical vehicle for introducing children to the multifarious instruments of the orchestra.

Countless numbers of celebrities have provided a voice for the narrator, including Sting, David Bowie, and Sean Connery. Performed by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, instituted in 1929 in the musically-saturated capital of Bratislava, the recording included in this compilation of children's music does not feature a narrator. Therefore, the responsibility of guiding the listener through the story falls solely on the orchestra.

At the story's opening, Peter (strings) wanders through the forest, whereupon he encounters a bird (flute), a duck (oboe), and a cat (clarinet). This innocent ramble is interrupted by Grandfather (bassoon), who, leading the way home, sermonizes about the temerity of dillydallying when a wolf may be lurking nearby. Precisely as Grandfather closes the door, the wolf emerges, and the French horns play his menacing theme. (This music also served as the leitmotif for the character of Scut Farkus, the yellow-eyed, coonskin-cap-wearing bully in the 1983 film A Christmas Story).

Through the window, Peter witnesses the wolf on the prowl. The bird and cat successfully elude capture, but the lumbering duck does not prove to be as fortunate. With a snap of the wolf's jowls, the duck disappears, and the wolf refocuses on his other potential prey. Peter disobeys Grandfather's word and pussyfoots back outside, resolute on thwarting any attempts toward a second helping. Using the bird as a distraction, Peter ensnares the wolf by the tail just as a troupe of hunters (timpani and bass drum) emerge from the words, muskets to the ready. Rather than destroy the beast, Peter persuades the hunters to deliver him to the zoo. During the processional, listen closely for the sound of quacking, for as most children's stories do, this one ends happily. The duck was not killed after all but merely swallowed whole by the ravenous wolf.

Peter and the Wolf has endured numerous adaptations, including one in 1988 by "Weird Al" Yankovic and composer/electronic musician Wendy Carlos. The duo utilized a synthesized orchestra and altered the ending. In lieu of rope, Peter captures the wolf with Grandfather's dental floss, leading to the moral of the story: "Oral hygiene is very important."

Featured Tracks:
Peter in the meadow
The Duck