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classical for kids?

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Posted on April 18, 2000 at 13:29:22
jlee


 
I realize that my music collection is heavily influenced by my taste (surprise!), and I probably need to branch out and stock the basics so that my daughters (4 and 5 yrs old) will enjoy classical music, too. I first bought L.Mozart's toy symphony done by Marriner (I'm gonna regret this exposure), and my kids love it. "Daddy, daddy, play that toy music!" and no more Beethoven.

What other pieces would be approachable to the kids? They actually like whatever I'm listening to, but they feel closer to the music with those toy sounds. Nutcracker? Any other ideas?

 

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Re: classical for kids?, posted on April 18, 2000 at 13:36:14
Neil E.


 
There was a thread not too long ago about classical music in cartoons. I forget the guy's name, so I can't tell you what to search the archives for, but he has several cds out. Those may work.

Neil

 

I just checked, search using "cartoons" (nt), posted on April 18, 2000 at 13:38:48
Neil E.


 
nt
Neil

 

Re: classical for kids?, posted on April 18, 2000 at 14:15:32
SE


 
Here is some great stuff for kids (that you'll like to):

Prokoviev: "Peter and the Wolf" (I have one with John Gielgud as the narrator...he's really good)

Yes, by all means the Nutcracker. I'm reading really good things about Gergiev's recording of this...which will put you in good stead with a lot of the folks here :-) (I have Ashkenazy conducting the Royal Philharmonic -- it is very good)

Some other ideas...

Chopin's Waltzes are very melodic and approachable. Try Rubinstein (better still, get his single disk "Best Of" collection, it's got the best of the Waltzes along with other "Greatest Hits").

Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man and Rodeo ballet are bright and animated. There's an excellent Telarc extravaganza with Erich Kunzel conducting the Cincinnati Pops...did somebody say "SUBWOOFER!!!"

Speaking of Telarc...they have a bunch of "The Pops Goes To The Movies" and "Star Wars, Superman etc." anthologies that are lots of fun, and performed/recorded well enough to make even a die-hard classical fan enjoy himself.

Regards


 

Re: classical for kids?, posted on April 18, 2000 at 14:23:32
Dr. T


 
My kids liked the Vivaldi 4 Seasons and the Respighi Ancient Airs and Dances

 

Lullabies..., posted on April 18, 2000 at 16:47:50
Small Soldier


 
Jlee,

Do not forget about classical lullabies. Here are just a few that come to mind:

Bach "Piano Concerto #5"
Beethoven "Moonlight Sonata", "Pathetique Sonata", and "Spring Sonata"
Bizet "Intermezzo from Carmen", and "L'Arlesienne adagietto"
Boccherini "Minuet", and "Pastorale"
Brahms "Lullaby", and "Symphony #3"
Chopin "Nocturne Op.9 #2", and "Nocturne Op.27 #2"
Debussy "Clair de Lune"
Grieg "Cradle Song"
Handel "Xerxes"
Haydn "String Quartet #23"
Liszt "By the Lake of Wallenstad"
Mascagni "Intermezzo"
Mendelssohn "Spring Song"
Mozart "Concerto for Flute and Harp", "Divertimento in D Major", "Piano Concerto", and "Romance"
St.Saens "The Swan"
Satie "Gymnopedie"
Schumann "Fantasy"
Tchaikovsky "Arabian Dance"
Vivaldi "Lute Concerto"

Regards :-)


 

Re: classical for kids?, posted on April 18, 2000 at 18:06:29
Bill Leebens


 
My kids love Satie. Usually puts 'em to sleep, too!

 

Re: classical for kids?, posted on April 18, 2000 at 18:08:00
Jim C.


 
My kids (now 13 and 12) have loved Beethoven's 6th symphony for years. They first got into it through "Fantasia," but it's stayed very popular at my house.

The Nutcracker, Handel's Water Music, Vivaldi's 4 Seasons, Copland's Rodeo and Beethoven's 5th symphony also sell well around here.

My advice, for what it's worth, is never to dumb down the music for your kids. Despite their unsophisticated tastes, even very young children know crappy music when they hear it. Treat them the same way you would treat an adult newcomer to classical music.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, posted on April 18, 2000 at 20:31:03
jlee


 
I stopped by a local thrifty store and picked up "peter and the wolf" and "nutcracker", both by Ormandy. We tried peter and the wolf today, and will try nutcracker tomorrow. Thanks!

 

I second Jim, posted on April 18, 2000 at 23:02:47
samm


 
Actually, children seem to understnad and digest complicated music at ease than adults who are always busy to analyze the music. So, let your kids listen whatever you like to, and then in long run you and your kids can spend more time together for the music and conversation over the music. samm

 

Re: classical for kids?, posted on April 18, 2000 at 23:05:59
Ears


 
Mozart's Variations K.265(Twinkle, twinkle little star) and Schumann's Album for the Young Op.68 haven't been mentioned yet. The disc at the link below looks like a nice selection of piano music for kids.

 

Re: classical for kids?, posted on April 19, 2000 at 04:21:44
Dave


 
When our eldest was just able to walk, she used to love to bounce around to the incessant beat of Shostakovich 4th. Of course, my wife thought it was too noisy.

More recently, our 9 year old had to admit to being awestruck by the end of Mahler's 8th, while the 7 year old was just waiting for it to end. So, I guess it's safe to say that every kid is different, but if you expose them to it, you're doing the best you can.

But probably the BEST way to expose kids to classical would be to find videos of Leonard Bernstein's Young Peoples Concerts. Even if you don't like Lenny's conducting style, you have to admit he was a master marketer and pedagogue. I still remember seeing these when I was a kid, and remember actually liking them (although your kids might be a bit young for them).

 

It's never too soon to feed 'em Mahler, hehehe :-) (n/t), posted on April 19, 2000 at 05:20:22
SE


 
.

 

Re: classical for kids?, posted on April 19, 2000 at 08:27:37
jj


 
Well...

I haven't had to find "child music", my kids seem to like most anything, from Rossini Overtures *but not those interminable operas* to Beethoven's 5th, 6th, and 9th at the very least, through Copeland, Dvorak, the Philladelphia Orchestra march album, well, to be honest I think they like just about anything with a big orchestra going BOOM! BLARE!

The more subtle stuff they aren't quite as into, well, the older one will sometimes just go into the "don't bother me I'm listening now" with various Bach stuff (Harpsichord mostly).

They both like pipe organ, I admit I presented it as "old time rock and roll" first, and they tend to agree. Widor, Bach, Franck, ...
JJ

 

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