Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

September 13, 2004
Burton's much-loved tale about Mike Mulligan and the hardworking steam shovel is recast as a symphony program for kids, with an original classical score. Simon conducts strings, woodwinds and percussion to emphasize key moments in the story and adds some unusual elements as well. Paul Brennan plays the Uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes) for Mike Mulligan's theme. Paying homage to Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf
, a note in the CD booklet and narrated by Simon describes the other musical themes and various sound effects, such as the sound of the steam shovel (created by the release valve on a scuba tank). On a lively, informative second track, executive producer Bonnie Ward Simon tells listeners about Burton and her inspiration for the story. Yadu's forceful and melodic voice is a good match for the music, but his delivery is sometimes affected and flamboyant, a performance better suited for the stage than for audio. As a bonus, opera singer James Shaffran delivers a jaunty rendition of "Mike Mulligan Song." This diverting musical excursion will be welcomed in both classrooms and family libraries. Ages 5-up.

Following in Prokofiev's tradition, composer/conductor Stephen Simon sets Burton's classic tale against a musical backdrop performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Narrator Yadu (a.k.a. Konrad Czynski) humorously teases out the story's central drama (will Mike Mulligan finish digging before the sun goes down?) while the orchestra's musical illustrations and sound effects heighten the suspense. After the story Simon offers insights about how he composed the music so that listeners can hear the story again "with new ears." Children will enjoy picking out the airplane/trombones and the Irish (not Scottish) bagpipes featured in Mike Mulligan's theme song. Both children and parents will enjoy the information in the "Magic Maestro" program book, which comes with the CD. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine