|
| Label: PENTATONE
Catalog: PTC5186012
Format: CD This is a unique collaborative project that demonstrates the power of music to bring people together. It is a model of cooperation also relevant to wildlife preservation, a complex issue that transcends national boundaries.
The pairing of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf with a new composition, Wolf Tracks, by Jean-Pascal Beintus - in performance and on a surround sound recording - is the result of the commitment of artists, technical experts, world leaders and arts patrons from many countries. The project was conceived by the Russian National Orchestra and further developed by PentaTone under the artistic direction of Kent Nagano.
Wolf Tracks is a tale that converts the image of the wolf from a fearsome creature to one that represents the imperative to cherish and protect natural resources. This is a contemporary perspective that encompasses the importance of recognizing the point of view of others, a value that lies at the core of understanding different people and cultures.
With support from the Russian Arts Foundation, the RNO commissioned French composer Beintus to write the score of the new piece and selected award winning broadcast writer Walt Kraemer to create the accompanying text. Contributors include Linda Whitaker, Martha Bredon and Hélène Grimaud, co-founder of the Wolf Conservation Center. Nagano led the RNO in the world premiere of Wolf Tracks in August 2002 at San Francisco's Stern Grove Festival.
From the outset, the objective was not only a superb artistic product, but also a project that would raise money for charity. The non-commercial approach, along with the themes of tolerance and understanding embodied in Wolf Tracks, attracted a stellar lineup for the venture's next phase - a surround sound recording on the PentaTone Classics label.
Narrators Sophia Loren (Peter and the Wolf), Bill Clinton (Wolf Tracks) and Mikhail Gorbachev (introduction and epilogue) contributed their time for recording sessions in Geneva and Moscow. Each has designated a charity to receive their royalties: Loren to the Magic of Music, the RNO's innovative arts therapy program for youth; Clinton to the International AIDS Trust, whose advisory committee he co-chairs with Nelson Mandela; and Gorbachev to Green Cross International, an environmental charity which he founded in 1993. Proceeds from the sale of the CD will also be shared with the Wolf Conservation Center and other wildlife organizations.
The art on the CD's cover and booklet is the work of some very special children who live in Moscow orphanages and facilities for the disabled. The drawings were selected from the hundreds shown at the 2002 "How I See Music" Exhibition, an annual event sponsored by the RNO at the Moscow Conservatory. These young artists live under difficult, challenging circumstances and their art, like music, is testament to the magic of creative self-expression.  Price: $19.98 |
)