Download PETER AND THE WOLF: A piece for Orchestra and Narrator, is a

Peter and the Wolf
Peter and the Wolf, a piece for Orchestra and Narrator, is a wonderful way to introduce children
to the instruments of the orchestra.
In 1936, Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev was commissioned by the central Children's
Theatre in Moscow to write a new musical symphony for children. The intent was to cultivate
"musical tastes in children from the first years of school". Intrigued by the invitation, Prokofiev
completed Peter and the Wolf in just four days. Peter and the Wolf is scored for flute, oboe,
clarinet in A, bassoon, 3 horns, trumpet, trombone, timpani, triangle, tambourine, cymbals,
castanets, snare drum, bass drum and strings.
Each character in the story has a particular instrument and a musical theme, or “leitmotif”:
 Bird: flute
 Duck: oboe
 Cat: clarinet
 Grandfather: bassoon
 Wolf: 3 horns
 Hunters: woodwind theme, with gunshots on timpani and bass drum
 Peter: string instruments
The Story
Peter, a Young Pioneer (youth group of the time), is at his grandfather's home in a forest
clearing. One day Peter goes out into the clearing, leaving the garden gate open, and the duck
that lives in the yard takes the opportunity to go swimming on the nearby pond. She starts
arguing with a little bird. Peter's pet cat sneaks up on them, and the bird —warned by Peter—
flies to safety in a tall tree while the duck swims to safety in the middle of the pond.
Peter's grandfather scolds Peter for being outside in the meadow, and, when Peter defies him,
saying that "Pioneers are not afraid of wolves", his grandfather takes him back into the house and
locks the gate. Shortly afterwards, a big, grey wolf does indeed come out of the woods. The cat
quickly climbs into the tree, but the duck, who has excitedly jumped out of the pond, is chased,
overtaken and gulped down by the wolf.
Pioneer Peter fetches a rope and climbs over the garden wall into the tree. He asks the bird to fly
around the wolf's head to distract him, while he lowers a noose and catches the wolf by his tail.
The wolf struggles to get free, but Peter ties the rope to the tree and the noose only gets tighter.
Some hunters, who have been tracking the wolf, come out of the forest ready to shoot, but Peter
gets them to help him take the wolf to the zoo in a victory parade (The piece was first performed
for an audience of pioneers during May Day celebrations) that includes himself, the bird, the
hunters leading the wolf, the cat and grumpy grumbling Grandfather. In the story's ending, the
listener is told that "if you listen very carefully, you'd hear the duck quacking inside the wolf's
belly, because the wolf in his hurry had swallowed her alive.
Peter and the Wolf Curriculum Ideas
Discuss the roles of the composer, conductor, performer, and audience members.
Discuss what being a good listener means, and what it looks like. Remind them that listening
involves both hearing and paying attention. Give the students different musical elements to listen
for in the music or give them a listening map (see the starred* link below for a sample)
Practice being good listeners while listening to short selected recording.
Read a book about the Orchestra. The Story of the Orchestra by Robert Levine is a great resource
that is found in many school libraries.
Check out a music website:
o www.sfskids.com: general music information
o
http://www.dsokids.com/default.aspx: general music information
o
http://www.classicsforkids.com/teachers/lessonplans_prokofiev.asp: recorded lesson
about where the story comes from and the idea of the story, lesson plans, and music.
o
http://www.classicsforkids.com/teachers/lessonplans/prokofiev/CSO%20Peter%20and%2
0the%20Wolf%20Lesson%20Plan%20Music%20Language%20Arts%201-3.pdf: lesson
plan with listening map
Create movements or gestures that represent the melodic patterns that go with each character.
Allow the class to create their own musical performance that brings a poem or story to life using
different sound effects/melodies to accompany the poem or song. (MU.2.F.1.1 Create a musical
performance that brings a story or poem to life)
Second Grade Music NGSSS that align with this content:
MU.2.C.1.1
MU.2.C.1.2
MU.2.C.1.3
MU.2.C.3.1
MU.2.S.3.5
MU.2.O.1.1
MU.2.O.3.1
MU.2.F.1.1
MU.2.F.2.1
Identify appropriate listening skills for learning about musical examples selected by the teacher.
Respond to a piece of music and discuss individual interpretations.
Classify unpitched instruments into metals, membranes, shakers, and wooden categories.
Discuss why musical characteristics are important when forming and discussing opinions about
music.
Show visual, gestural, and traditional representation of simple melodic patterns performed by
someone else.
Identify basic elements of music in a song or instrumental excerpt.
Describe changes in tempo and dynamics within a musical work.
Create a musical performance that brings a story or poem to life.
Describe how people participate in music.