Music with Chequered Ears

Instrumentation: picc, 8 fl, 2 ob, 4 cl1 Bb, 4 cl2 Bb, 4 cl3 Bb, 2 cl b Bb, 2 fg, 2 sax a Eb, 2 sax t Bb, sax bar Eb - 3 crnt1 Bb, 3 crnt2 Bb, 2 tr1 Bb, 2 tr2 Bb, 2 tr3 Bb, 2 cor1, 2 cor2, 2 trb1, 2 trb2, 2 flic t Bb, 2 euf, 4 tb - timp, (vibr), tamb mil, gr c

Television viewers of nearly a hundred countries have experienced Árpád Balázs's touching melodies. The series of cartoons have neither dialogue nor text: the music presents the amiable and entertaining adventures of the rabbit with chequered ears and its friends. Balázs has rephrased and developed the well-known melodies and as a result a ''children's story symphony'' of seven movements has been created in which, in contrast with Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, there is no narrator but the instruments themselves represent the story-tellers. The composer has again associated the groups of instruments with one another in a colourful and varied manner, skilfully alternating themodes of solo, chamber orchestra and orchestra.

Movements I, II, IV and VII represent a ''short suite'' that can be independently performed, thus due to its duration of four minutes and easier level, ensembles with more modest opportunities can also perform it. The most well-known parts of the cartoon series music - the main title and the ending - are included in both versions.