Seventy years ago the musical fable “Peter and the Wolf” unexpectedly took the world by storm. Written and composed by the Russian Serge Prokofiev, this droll story for narrator and orchestra has sold millions of recordings in countless versions, narrated by great performers from Sir John Gielgud to Sting. The only problem up until now has been that “Peter and the Wolf” – composed specifically for children, and featuring a narrator with orchestra - is practically the only piece of its kind. The vast audience that loves “Peter” has not been able to find a similarly enchanting musical story. But now all that will change! The Shoe Bird has arrived! In The Shoe Bird multi-Grammy-award-winning performer and Guinness World Records™ holder Jim Dale brings to life a flock of unforgettable bird characters – Arturo the parrot, Gloria the goose, Minerva the owl, even the extinct Dodo! This is Eudora Welty’s fantastical story of how some feathered friends made a fateful switch from flying to wearing shoes, little knowing that they would soon become the prey of Freddy the Cat! Masterfully scored for full symphony orchestra and children’s choirs by Welty’s fellow Mississippian Samuel Jones, The Shoe Bird appeals immediately to children and adults, just like the classic Peter and the Wolf. The Shoe Bird is a new work that reinvigorates a great tradition of storytelling fun for the whole family. It can be heard again and again, always rewarding the listener with the wit and wisdom of Eudora Welty, the delightful animal characters impersonated by Jim Dale, and the rich musical background of full symphony orchestra and chorus. Jim Dale is very enthusiastic and ready to promote The Shoe Bird which he considers one of his favorite recording projects.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
This orchestral and choral adaptation (scored by Samuel Jones) based on an exquisitely absurd Eudora Welty tale (her only work for children) brings the story to musical heights. The tale rests on a featherlight conceit: Arturo the Parrot (who works in a shoe store) hears a less-than-satisfied young customer shout, “Shoes are for the birds,” and a misunderstanding of monumental proportions ensues. At a convocation of birds, the avians’ discussions lead to predictably disastrous results. Dale creates the vast animal cast—from highly excitable Gloria the Goose to a wistful dodo and an ethereal phoenix—with his usual exuberance and vocal skills. The musical score, performed by the Seattle Symphony orchestra, adds drama to the proceedings and individuality to the colorful personalities of the participants. Although casual listeners may not flock to this production, it is a good choice for introducing Welty, symphony music, children’s choirs, and Dale’s distinctive narration to young audiences. Grades 3-5. --Kristi Elle Jemtegaard
From AudioFile
This is not your ordinary audiobook, but a musical fable that listeners of all ages can enjoy. Think of PETER & THE WOLF, and you get the idea of what's in store for listeners. But wait, add in Jim Dale, marvelous master of voices, to this adaption of a short story by Eudora Welty. The Seattle Symphony and two children's choruses weave and swoop around the narration like the birds who visit the shoe store to be fitted for shoes. Dale creates clever, whimsical, and always-memorable voices for Minerva the owl, Gloria the goose, and Arturo the parrot, along with the extinct dodo and the exotic phoenix. The whims, demands, and petty rivalries of the birds teach listeners a few lessons. THE SHOE BIRD will become a classic for generations of listeners. R.F.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2009 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to an alternate
Audio CD
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Magnum Opus!,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Shoe Bird: A Musical Fable by Samuel Jones. Based on a Story by Eudora Welty (Audio CD)
Samuel Jones' adaptation of Eudora Welty's book, Jim Dale's narration, The Seattle Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwarz, and pitch-perfect Seattle Boychoir & Girls of Vocalpoint, Seattle conducted by Joseph Crnko have joined forces creating a timeless classic sure to appeal to adults and children. Mr.Jones has skillfully interwoven his music and story, using the instruments of the orchestra to give voices to the birds. The nuances of Jim Dale's narration give each bird their own personality, bringing them most vividly to life. Filled with wit and wisdom it is a piece that begs to be listened to time and again, each listen providing something new. Dare say the next time you hear a bird singing in the wild both lessons learned, and the songs of the birds from The Shoe Bird: A Musical Fable will come to mind.
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulously narrated story and wonderful music,
By VT (Sparks, NV) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Shoe Bird: A Musical Fable by Samuel Jones. Based on a Story by Eudora Welty (Audio CD)
This is wonderful for all ages! The story is terrific and the narration and music really bring the book to life. The children's choir adds to the depth of the recording (and is terrific). Our whole family has enjoyed this! I'd have given it 5 stars but there are some sound level/volume challenges during the recording (which means you have to adjust the volume a tad so you can hear or so it's not too loud). Despite that, it is still WONDERFUL! The story is captivating and is packed with teachable moments/morals. Highly, highly recommended!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not the right mix.,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Shoe Bird: A Musical Fable by Samuel Jones. Based on a Story by Eudora Welty (Audio CD)
I'm a big fan of audio books for all ages. This one was a real disappointment though. First, the music levels were way too high for the actual story telling. In order to follow the story the volume had to be turned up then the musical interludes were loud and shrilly - very annoying.The story was cute and entertaining, good moral. The packaging on this item was way over the top as well. One disk, the box was 1.25 inches deep (I measured it) and the extra space (nearly all the space) stuffed with unnecessary Styrofoam. But, one can't beat Jim Dale as a reader.
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