Velveteen Rabbit Liner Notes
Meryl Streep -- narration
George Winston -- piano
Produced by George Winston
Mark Sottnick & Clay Stites
There are few pleasures greater than being read to as a child, except perhaps the honor of reading a great story to a child.
My interest in storytelling for children evolved out of different phases in my own life. As a kid in Philadelphia, I loved two things: playing baseball and listening to stories, in that order. I fondly remember as a young boy listening to my mother read and sing to me. She seemed to be such a wonderful singer; I just couldn’t understand why she wasn’t on TV or the radio for all to hear. Later, as an adult, I would listen to my mother sing, and I realized that, in fact, she really had quite an ordinary voice. But as a child, I had listened to my mother’s singing with “ears of love.”
During the seventies, I taught science and film to junior high students in Rhode Island. Here were these kids with extraordinary imaginations and unbelievable storytelling instincts, especially when it came to why they needed a hall pass. And yet they were completely underserved by the media products available to them – there was a real lack of quality programming for kids and their families.
And then along came my two daughters: I desperately wanted them to have something better than Saturday morning cartoons. After returning to college to earn a Master’s Degree, I spent a few years producing independent children’s films. Finally in 1985, my wife Doris and I decided to repaint our kitchen table and call it a production office. Shortly thereafter we set out on our first project: to produce an audio recording of what I had always considered a genuine classic – Margery Williams’ THE VELVETEEN RABBIT. I chose this story because I wanted children to hear a wonderful story about love told with love. Thinking back to my own childhood, I wanted the listener, child or adult, to feel the tenderness, strength and wisdom of a loving mother. Meryl Steep was my choice to narrate the story, and her wise reading evokes feelings of comfort and serenity.
His gentle, calm, assured playing proved to be the perfect accompaniment to Meryl Streep’s voice. The happy result is this lovely, beautiful duet.
The video of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT aired nationally on PBS, and the audio and video components went on to win numerous honors, among them a Grammy nomination for Best Children’s Recording and numerous awards, including the prestigious Action for Children’s Television and Parent’s Choice.
Ultimately, 60 titles* were produced by Rabbit Ears, each chosen for their enduring and universal appeal. Between 1985 and 1996, Rabbit Ears titles received two Grammy Awards, 18 Grammy Award nominations, 21 Parent’s Choice Awards, seven Action for Children’s Television Awards, a Humanitas Prize and National Education Association Award among many others.
Great literature almost always has one common feature: the stories were written or told for a special child. PETER RABBIT, ALICE IN WONDERLAND and THE HOBBIT are each, in their own way, a love poem to a particular child. THE VELVETEEN RABBIT was my two daughters’ favorite story. And this recording is an expression of my love for them. ----Mark Sottnick
--------George Winston
In 2002, the Ballet Arts Center in Scotts Valley, CA brought the story of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT to life through a children’s theatre production. Learn more about this performance and others, including stories, reviews, pictures and video clips.
A list of the 60 titles of the classic children’s stories produced by Mark Sottnick for Rabbit Ears.
More information about the author of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT, Margery Williams.
A poster of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT cover will be available at George Winston’s concerts. All proceeds will benefit local food banks.
Produced by Mark Sottnick, Clay Stites and George Winston
Music composed and/or arranged by George Winston
Recorded July and December 1984
Engineered by Howard Johnston
Music published by Dancing Cat Music (BMI) or Imaginary Road Music (BMI)/Dancing Cat Music (BMI)
Illustrations by David Jorgensen
Calligraphy by Raphael Boguslav
THE VELVETEEN RABBIT is based on the story written in 1922 by Margery Williams.
20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION CREDITS:
20th Anniversary Edition produced by George Winston
Bonus track: Night Thoughts recorded in 1999.
Engineered by Howard Johnston & Justin Lieberman
Assembly & no-noise engineers: Howard Johnston & Justin Lieberman
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Sonic wizard: Ron Rigler
Enhanced CD developed by Tom Leone at Metropolis Video
Sheet music transcription of Returning/The Velveteen Rabbit for the enhanced CD by Tom Bochold and George Winston
Graphic design by Lynn Piquett, Santa Cruz, CA
George Winston -- piano
Produced by George Winston
Mark Sottnick & Clay Stites
Love Made it Real –By original producer Mark Sottnick
There are few pleasures greater than being read to as a child, except perhaps the honor of reading a great story to a child.
My interest in storytelling for children evolved out of different phases in my own life. As a kid in Philadelphia, I loved two things: playing baseball and listening to stories, in that order. I fondly remember as a young boy listening to my mother read and sing to me. She seemed to be such a wonderful singer; I just couldn’t understand why she wasn’t on TV or the radio for all to hear. Later, as an adult, I would listen to my mother sing, and I realized that, in fact, she really had quite an ordinary voice. But as a child, I had listened to my mother’s singing with “ears of love.”
During the seventies, I taught science and film to junior high students in Rhode Island. Here were these kids with extraordinary imaginations and unbelievable storytelling instincts, especially when it came to why they needed a hall pass. And yet they were completely underserved by the media products available to them – there was a real lack of quality programming for kids and their families.
And then along came my two daughters: I desperately wanted them to have something better than Saturday morning cartoons. After returning to college to earn a Master’s Degree, I spent a few years producing independent children’s films. Finally in 1985, my wife Doris and I decided to repaint our kitchen table and call it a production office. Shortly thereafter we set out on our first project: to produce an audio recording of what I had always considered a genuine classic – Margery Williams’ THE VELVETEEN RABBIT. I chose this story because I wanted children to hear a wonderful story about love told with love. Thinking back to my own childhood, I wanted the listener, child or adult, to feel the tenderness, strength and wisdom of a loving mother. Meryl Steep was my choice to narrate the story, and her wise reading evokes feelings of comfort and serenity.
His gentle, calm, assured playing proved to be the perfect accompaniment to Meryl Streep’s voice. The happy result is this lovely, beautiful duet.
The video of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT aired nationally on PBS, and the audio and video components went on to win numerous honors, among them a Grammy nomination for Best Children’s Recording and numerous awards, including the prestigious Action for Children’s Television and Parent’s Choice.
Ultimately, 60 titles* were produced by Rabbit Ears, each chosen for their enduring and universal appeal. Between 1985 and 1996, Rabbit Ears titles received two Grammy Awards, 18 Grammy Award nominations, 21 Parent’s Choice Awards, seven Action for Children’s Television Awards, a Humanitas Prize and National Education Association Award among many others.
Great literature almost always has one common feature: the stories were written or told for a special child. PETER RABBIT, ALICE IN WONDERLAND and THE HOBBIT are each, in their own way, a love poem to a particular child. THE VELVETEEN RABBIT was my two daughters’ favorite story. And this recording is an expression of my love for them. ----Mark Sottnick
Notes by George Winston
“Mark Sottnick was a visionary, and I am very happy I had a chance to participate in this project. I love the way he produced the videos, retaining the feeling of a book, with beautiful illustrations gradually segueing from one to another - giving the effect of a parent reading a story to a child, and letting the child’s imagination come into play. He brought together many great narrators, musicians and illustrators to create a beautiful library of classic children’s stories. I love to play three of the many great songs from these productions: Fragrant Fields, by pianist Art Lande, from THE THREE BILLY GOAT’S GRUFF story, which is on my album SUMMER; Love Theme for a Ballerina, by Mark Isham, from THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER story, which is on my album FOREST, and Thumbelina, by Mark Isham, from the THUMBELINA story, which will be on my upcoming recording MONTANA. I also especially love when dance companies use the piano solos for stage productions of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT.--------George Winston
In 2002, the Ballet Arts Center in Scotts Valley, CA brought the story of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT to life through a children’s theatre production. Learn more about this performance and others, including stories, reviews, pictures and video clips.
A poster of THE VELVETEEN RABBIT cover will be available at George Winston’s concerts. All proceeds will benefit local food banks.
Produced by Mark Sottnick, Clay Stites and George Winston
Music composed and/or arranged by George Winston
Recorded July and December 1984
Engineered by Howard Johnston
Music published by Dancing Cat Music (BMI) or Imaginary Road Music (BMI)/Dancing Cat Music (BMI)
Illustrations by David Jorgensen
Calligraphy by Raphael Boguslav
THE VELVETEEN RABBIT is based on the story written in 1922 by Margery Williams.
20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION CREDITS:
20th Anniversary Edition produced by George Winston
Bonus track: Night Thoughts recorded in 1999.
Engineered by Howard Johnston & Justin Lieberman
Assembly & no-noise engineers: Howard Johnston & Justin Lieberman
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Sonic wizard: Ron Rigler
Enhanced CD developed by Tom Leone at Metropolis Video
Sheet music transcription of Returning/The Velveteen Rabbit for the enhanced CD by Tom Bochold and George Winston
Graphic design by Lynn Piquett, Santa Cruz, CA
