The Story of Baby Elephant

Vladimir Nikolaev’s piano suite “The Story of Baby Elephant” was written in 1989 on the basis of music for a children’s theater performance. Hence its vivid imagery, visibility, dynamism. Music embodies different characters, persons, emotions, situations. They are reflected in the name of the pieces. Without restricting performer’s imagination with a specific plot, the composer gives free play to his imagination.

The language of the cycle is concise, modern, inventively simple. It absorbs the elements of jazz and rock that are tangible, first of all, in rhythm and harmonies. Therefore, the feeling of swing should be present in the performance of most pieces of the suite.

The cycle is addressed to a wide range of amateur pianists. It will certainly enrich and diversify the repertoire of music schools for children: junior and senior classes. The unique methodological value of this musical material is that while remaining academic in its essence, it introduces a living pitch of new popular genres into the traditional repertoire.