NSO Family Concert: Symphonic Storytelling: The Travels of Babar Grownup Guide

NSO Family Concert

Symphonic Storytelling: The Travels of Babar Emil de Cou, conductor

Grownup Guide David M. Rubenstein is the Presenting Underwriter of the NSO.

WGL is the proud sponsor of the NSO Family Concerts

Presenting Sponsor of Performances for Young Audiences

THANK YOU for joining us at Symphonic Storytelling: The Travels of Babar!

We hope you and your young concertgoers enjoyed the music and stories at this NSO Family Concert. The performance featured two works that take a different approach to musical storytelling about animals—the U.S. premiere of the new orchestra arrangement of Babar’s Return to the Land of the Elephants (from The Travels of Babar) by American composer Raphael Mostel, and an old favorite, French composer Camille Saint-Saëns’s Carnival of the Animals. To help you further your young concertgoers’ experience, this guide offers discussion questions, background, resources, and activities. We hope you’ll explore them together.

FIRST THINGS FIRST Please be sure to use the Cuesheet Performance Guide (handed out with your Playbill program). The Cuesheet is written for young people to help them learn all about, prepare for, and enjoy the performance. If you didn’t have time to read it before the performance, you can still go over it together afterward and discuss the questions. Copies are also available online: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/students/kc-connections

THINGS TO THINK AND TALK ABOUT Right after the concert is over is a great time to talk about it. Here are some questions to get you started: ◆ What was your favorite part of the performance, and why? ◆ What sounds made the music seem more real to you? ◆ What did you imagine as you listened to the different music? Draw or describe it. ◆ Which instruments would you like to learn to play, and why? ◆ How would you like to make music in your own life? Play it? Sing it?

Write it? Conduct it? ◆ What music made you want to dance, perhaps like an animal? Why? Hum or sing a little if you remember the melody, and move along with it. ◆ What stories or animals would you like to create music about? Why? What story would you like your music to tell?

2

EXPLORE MORE The Performance ◆ Young concertgoers might enjoy knowing that they are the first people in the United States to hear the full orchestra version of Return to the Land of the Elephants (from The Travels of Babar), which was completed in 2015. Raphael Mostel’s Travels of Babar was originally composed in 1994 for an eight-musician ensemble, so the orchestral version offers a dramatic increase in sound. Also, hearing Babar’s Return to the Land of the Elephants and Carnival of the Animals in the same program offers an opportunity to compare two symphonic storytelling compositions created more than 100 years apart. Saint-Saëns (1835–1921) followed most European classical traditions (such as balance, clarity, and moderation).

Mostel, who will attend the performances, embraces a wide world of music. His works range from European classical tradition to avant-garde compositions for his Tibetan Singing Bowl Ensemble. The New York Times praised his Travels of Babar as “a miniaturized history of classical music.” ◆ Compare and contrast the two works in different ways: the stories told by music, the stories told by words, and the sounds and styles of the music, especially the melodies. What were your favorite parts, and why? Discuss which music sounded older or newer to you, and why.

Why do you think some musical styles remain popular over the centuries? ◆ Discuss with your young concertgoers their impressions of the orchestra. Point out that musicians have to cooperate, listen, work together, and follow leaders to make great music The leader of the orchestra is the conductor, and at this concert, Emil de Cou led the approximately 75 members of the National Symphony Orchestra in playing the music, guiding them on when and how fast and loud to play. Many of the musicians on stage are among the best in the United States. Meet the people who make great music together in the NSO and learn more about what they do: kennedy-center.org/NSO/MTM/ShowMusicians/3

3

Stories and Music ◆ The story of Return to the Land of the Elephants comes from the second half of the illustrated book The Travels of Babar (1932); the poetry for Carnival of the Animals (2010) comes from the illustrated book of the same name by poet Jack Prelutsky (if you would like to explore the books further, as always, please preview them to ensure they are appropriate for your children). Such books, whether old or new, offer a rich, creative springboard for symphonic storytelling. ◆ Try it. Start by helping young concertgoers choose an illustrated book they know and love. Look through it together and discuss the story and how the characters feel. Read the story aloud and brainstorm how music might help tell the story. Have children think of music they know and which parts of it could help tell the story. They could use parts of songs that match the feelings of the characters (like happy or sad) or sections that match what is happening (like scary, dancing, or flying sounds). Have your symphonic storytellers sing or hum the music—or play it from a music player as they narrate the story for friends. Discuss what music added to the story.

Symphonic Storytelling ◆ When composers write music to bring to life a particular story, poem, painting, or place, that’s called symphonic storytelling, which is also known as a tone poem, tone painting, or program music. Sometimes composers write the music to go with spoken words, and sometimes they write it to tell the story by itself. Together, try exploring examples of both kinds (for pieces without narration, you might want to review the general story before listening), and share three musical details or themes you enjoyed, which piece you liked better, and why. Have young concertgoers draw pictures of what they imagined as they listened. A few options:

With narration: Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev youtube.com/watch?v=K7f9OxyQ5PQ or The Composer Is Dead by Nathaniel Stookey, with story by Lemony Snicket youtube.com/watch?v=OuABdROntEQ

Without narration: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas youtube.com/watch?v=U4yH4B9deok or Symphonie fantastique (all or selected movements) by Hector Berlioz youtube.com/watch?v=g2Kky5BC9Uk ◆ The music for The Travels of Babar was originally written for an octet—an ensemble of eight instruments (piano, viola, cello, clarinet, bassoon, cornet, trombone, percussion).

Young concertgoers might enjoy seeing and hearing the smaller ensemble and comparing and contrasting the music and storytelling between that and the full orchestra version at the performance. For clips from the small ensemble, see vimeo.com/97396146

4

The Composers ◆ American composer Raphael Mostel first brought his Travels of Babar to life in 1994, when he was commissioned to compose music for a Japanese recording of the text. Inspired by the magic author/artist Jean de Brunhoff created with his illustrations by using only three colors, Mostel decided to only use rudimentary music elements (like musical scales) to create similarly compelling music that also conveys the same wonder and discovery he experienced when, on his own as a toddler, he figured out how to play piano.

Mostel said, “Although the magical wonders and power of the orchestra and of music in general are apparent to everyone who attends a performance, too often people don’t understand how music works these miracles. The Travels of Babar can be a key to open that door. I composed my Babar to provide a grounding and literacy to help young people appreciate the astonishments that await them in the world of music. That’s why I always wish listeners, as they begin to explore the amazing treasures of orchestral music, ‘bon voyage!’” ◆ French composer Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921) also was a child prodigy, playing piano at age two and writing music by three. When he started composing Carnival of the Animals, he called it “such fun.” It was first heard in private performances—and his small audiences loved it. Despite interest in the music, he didn’t want it published during his lifetime because he feared people would no longer consider him a serious composer.

Originally written for 11 instruments but expanded for full orchestra, the piece went on to become one of his best known, and loved, works.

The Composer’s Toolbox ◆ Both composers use the same tools to create music, and you can, too. It helps to remember and explore the building blocks of music—melodies, rhythms, pitches (high, middle, and low notes), tempo (speed), and dynamics (volume)—as well as different combinations of musical instruments. ◆ Have young concertgoers start thinking like a composer by trying this: Choose an animal you’d like to be. Then say or sing: “I am a [animal name] and I want to dance!” But here’s the catch—use the composer’s tools to help sound like the animal. Would your animal have a high or low voice (pitch)? Would it speak fast or slow (tempo) or loud or soft (dynamics)? Try your musical phrase different ways to see what works best. Then, when it sounds just right, move like your animal when you say it.

5

Musical Instrument Fun ◆ The musical instruments, of course, create the amazing sounds of the music; and it can be fun to learn to identify them and listen for the different ways they build sounds, carry melodies, or create surprising effects. Try it by playing a game as you listen to a recording of Carnival of the Animals: youtube.com/watch?v=1L993HNAa8M or youtu.be/5LOFhsksAYw. Before you begin, work together to write the name of each instrument listed with Carnival of the Animals (page 3 of the Cuesheet) on its own notecard or sheet of paper.

Organize the cards by instrument families (strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion) and spread them out. As you listen together, raise the cards for the instruments as you hear them. Notice that some instruments appear several times and can sound very different. (Remember: There are no brass instruments.) Talk about the roles the instruments played in the music and telling the story. ◆ In Babar’s Return to the Land of the Elephants, many instruments of the orchestra helped create sounds of the forest. But one unusual instrument composer Raphael Mostel used was the rainstick, which, not surprisingly, makes the sound of falling rain. You and your young concertgoers might enjoy making your own rainsticks, which can be made from items around your home. (For steps: wikihow.com/Make-a-Rain-Stick or kinderart.com/ art-lessons/multic/rainsticks/.) If possible, change the types of filler ingredients (such as rice, gravel, popcorn, crumpled foil) to see how they affect the sound, and decide which filler sounds the most like rain. And don’t stop there—for more ideas for musical instruments you can make together, see kinderart.com/art-lessons/music/easy-makemusical-instruments/. You might also enjoy exploring the science and sounds of whirly tubes used in the performance: stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/sound-hose/ ◆ If all this fun with music piqued young people’s interest (and we hope it did), they might enjoy music lessons. Here is a list of all the nonprofit organizations in the D.C. area that offer them: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/dcmusiclessons

6

A FEW MORE RESOURCES These resources may help you find other ways to spark your young concertgoers’ interest and help them further engage with ideas and experiences from the performance.

Websites Classics for Kids (kid-friendly resources, games, podcasts, and more) classicsforkids.com Raphael Mostel, Composer (learn more about the composer and the story behind the Babar music) mostel.com New York Philharmonic KidZone (a variety of interactive musical games, puzzles, and other activities for young children) nyphilkids.org/

Books The Carnival of the Animals by Jack Prelutsky with illustrations by Mary GrandPré: amazon.com/Carnival-Animals-Book-CD/dp/037586458X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1549 339414&sr=8-3&keywords=Carnival+of+the+animals *The Travels of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff : amazon.com/Travels-Babar-Jean-Brunhoff/dp/0394805763/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=154 9339512&sr=8-1&keywords=The+travels+of+babar * Please note that while based on Jean de Brunhoff’s classic picture book, Mostel’s Babar modernizes it and uses a new English translation especially created for his work by Phyllis Rose. It differs from the 1934 Random House edition of the book.

7

Articles “Making Bowls Sing and Elephants Talk” (a June 2000 article in the New York Times profiling Raphael Mostel and discussing aspects of the music): nytimes.com/2000/06/11/arts/music-making-bowls-sing-and-elephants-talk.html “Babar Bulks Up in a New Version for Orchestra” (exploring the premiere of the orchestra version and including an interview with composer Mostel): montrealgazette.com/entertainment/music/babar-bulks-up-in-a-new-version-for-orchestra “‘Carnival of the Animals’: Inside Saint-Saëns’s Children’s Classic” (a short article looking at the story behind the music and some of the instrumentation): classicalmpr.org/story/2015/06/29/carnival-of-the-animals-saint-saens “Prelutsky’s ‘Carnival of Animals’ Poems Meet Music” (an introduction to children’s poet laureate Jack Prelutsky, who wrote the poetry accompanying the performance of Carnival of the Animals): npr.org/2012/05/11/152520959/prelutskys-carnival-of-animals-poems-meet-music “Tone Poems” (a short overview of a few tone poems on the Classically Kids website): classicallykids.org/composer-of-the-month/tone-poems/ “Teaching Kids to Compose” (a short article with general strategies for introducing children to music composition) classicalmpr.org/blog/classical-notes/2016/02/12/teaching-kids-to-compose

Videos “Class Notes: How Do Composers Compose?” (a short video in which young American composer Jake Runestad playfully answers a wide range of questions about composing music): youtube.com/watch?v=Yk1LFEbQCKA&feature=youtu.be

The Kennedy Center offers sensory-friendly shows for a variety of performances.

To learn more: goo.gl/uAihKc

8

Additional support for the NSO Family Concerts is provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Anne and Chris Reyes; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; the U.S. Department of Education; and the Volunteer Council of the National Symphony Orchestra.

Funding for Access and Accommodation Programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

David M. Rubenstein Chairman Deborah F. Rutter President

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David M. Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

Mario R. Rossero Senior Vice President Education

©2019 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Gianandrea Noseda Music Director National Symphony Orchestra

Performances made possible by arrangement with Mostel.com, publisher and production proprietor of Babar’s Return to the Land of the Elephants.

The orchestral version of Babar’s Return to the Land of the Elephants is dedicated in honor of Anna-Maria Kellen.

The orchestral version and new HD multi-media for Babar’s Return to the Land of the Elephants were made possible by the cooperation of GOH Productions/Seven Loaves, Inc. The multi-media team, directed by the composer: Sharon McNair, Jenny Bee, Jeff Young, Jack Lindholm, and utilize the original Jean de Brunhoff watercolors from the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the Morgan Library and the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection.

Babar’s Return to the Land of the Elephants is one of two compositions by Raphael Mostel based on Jean de Brunhoff’s Travels of Babar. The other is Babar’s Honeymoon.

Raphael Mostel’s complete Travels of Babar (both Return and Honeymoon) was originally commissioned by Mr. S.T. Semba for a CD release in Japan.

Cover art: Original Jean de Brunhoff watercolor from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection, courtesy of Raphael Mostel.

All other art: Carnival of the Animals illustrations by Mary GrandPré.

9