THE MITTEN

MORAVIAN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA | PETR VRONSKÝ CONDUCTOR

Mona Lyn Reese

 

 

OVERVIEW

 

Based on the Ukrainian folktale of the same name, THE MITTEN presents a world built using simple narration as its foundation and a complex composition creating the surrounding universe. Composer Mona Lyn Reese needs only to speak a few short sentences from a children’s tale in each track, and then lets the performers in the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra carry the details of the story deep into the imagination.

 

THE MITTEN is the tale of a child who loses a mitten in the woods. Various animals find the garment and seek refuge inside of it, each animal growing larger and more absurd than the last. When composing the piece, Reese assigned each animal a unique instrument; the clarinet scurries like a mouse, the violin soars like the owl, the tuba bumbles like the boar, and so on.

 

The composition starts off coy, curious with innocent trots of the clarinet as the boy loses his mitten and leaves the forest. When the animals continue to squeeze into the garment for shelter, the orchestral tips balance and crescendos into chaos. The weight of each instrument piles on top of one other inflating into an anxious, busy sound until the orchestra explodes into an exciting climax.

 

THE MITTEN contains three different versions with an English narration, Spanish narration, and an instrumental version. Though the compositions don’t change, listening to each one feels like a brand-new journey, ensuring that the Reese’s work can be just as timeless as the folktale.

 

 

CREDITS

 

 

Recorded September 11, 2016 at Reduta Hall, Olomouc, CZ

Producer Pavel Kuncar

Engineers Aleš Dvořák, Jan Košulič

 

Narration recorded at Reese & Hassing Music Studio, San José, CA

Engineer Thomas A. Hassing.

 

English text based on a Ukrainian folk tale. Story adapted by Joanna Cortright,

used with permission.

 

Cover Artwork The Mitten - Marie Olofsdotter - www.marieolofsdotter.com

 

Spanish translation Daniel Helfgot

 

Executive Producer Bob Lord

Executive A&R Sam Renshaw

A&R Chris Robinson

Audio Director Jeff LeRoy

Editing & Mixing Lucas Paquette, Joe Dobrowolski

Mastering Lucas Paquette

Design & Marketing Director Brett Picknell

Design Emily Roulo

 

 

Click here to download THE MITTEN coloring page

 

 

ALSO ON NAVONA

 

THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS

Jonathan Sheffer

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