Alexander Armstrong - Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf, Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals; Rawsthorne: Practical Cats (2017)

Alexander Armstrong returns to narration in three popular classical works for children. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (1936) is a 'symphonic fairy tale for children' by Sergei Prokofiev. In recording this work, Alexander Armstrong joins a veritable hall of fame, including David Tennant, Phillip Schofield, Willie Rushton, Lenny Henry, David Attenborough, Dame Edna Everage, John Gielgud, Ben Kingsley, Patrick Stewart, Sting, Christopher Lee, Peter Ustinov, Paul Hogan, Dudley Moore, Terry Wogan, David Bowie, Richard Baker, Ralph Richardson, Richard Attenborough, Sean Connery, Michael Flanders, Alec Guinness, Basil Rathbone. The Carnival of the Animals is a humorous musical suite of fourteen movements by Camille Saint-Saëns. In 1949, Ogden Nash wrote a set of humorous verses to accompany each movement for a Columbia Masterworks recording conducted by Andre Kostelanetz. They were recited on the original album by Noël Coward, dubbed over or spliced in between sections of the previously recorded music. In 1954 the English composer Alan Rawsthorne set six of the poems from T.S Elliot’s Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939) in a work for speaker and orchestra entitled Practical Cats, which was recorded by EMI soon afterwards with Robert Donat (The 39 Steps, Goodbye Mr Chips)

TRACKLIST

1. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67: No. 1 The Story Begins
2. Peter and the Wolf Op. 67: No. 2 The Bird
3. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67: No. 3 The Duck; Dialogue with the Bird; Attack of the Cat
4. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67: No. 4 Grandfather
5. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67: No. 5 The Wolf
6. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67: No. 6 The Duck Is Caught
7. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67: No. 7 The Wolf Stalks the Bird and Cat
8. Peter and the Wolf Op. 67: VIII. Peter Prepares to Catch the Wolf
9. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67: No. 9 The Bird Diverts the Wolf
10. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67: No. 10 Peter Catches the Wolf
11. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67: No. 11 The Hunters Arrive
12. Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67: No. 12 The Procession to the Zoo
13. Carnival of the Animals: Introduction poem
14. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Introduction
15. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Royal March of the Lion poem
16. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: I. Royal March of the Lion
17. The Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Hens and Roosters poem
18. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: II. Hens and Roosters
19. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Wild Asses poem
20. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: III. Wild Asses
21. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Tortoises poem
22. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: IV. Tortoises
23. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: The Elephant poem
24. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: V. The Elephant
25. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Kangaroos poem
26. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: VI. Kangaroos
27. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Aquarium poem
28. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: VII. Aquarium
29. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: People with Long Ears poem
30. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: VIII. People with Long Ears
31. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: The Cuckoo in the Middle of the Woods poem
32. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: IX. The Cuckoo in the Middle of the Woods
33. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Aviary poem
34. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: X. Aviary
35. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Pianists poem
36. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: XI. Pianists
37. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Fossils poem
38. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: XII. Fossils
39. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: The Swan poem
40. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: XIII. The Swan
41. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: Finale poem
42. Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: XIV. Finale
43. Practical Cats: Overture
44. Practical Cats: I. The Naming of Cats
45. Practical Cats: II. The Old Gumbie Cat
46. Practical Cats: III. Gus - The Theatre Cat
47. Practical Cats: IV. Bustopher Jones - The Cat About Town
48. Practical Cats: V. Old Deuteronomy
49. Practical Cats: VI. The Song of the Jellicles