Der Löwe und die Maus

In 1931-32, Werner Egk was commissioned by Bavarian Radio to create two singspiele Der Löwe und die Maus (The Lion and the Mouse) and Der Fuchs und der Rabe (The Fox and the Crow) in collaboration with ten-year-old schoolchildren. The children improvised the texts based on the familiar Aesop fables. These theatre works with simple musical material including sprechgesang, melodrama, largely unison choruses and instrumental dance interludes are ideal for children from the age of 6 upwards. The wind parts are slightly more challenging and require prior experience in ensemble playing.