I received a review copy the other day of a new children's book, "Welcome the the Symphony" by Carolyn Sloan, a music educator and composer. I thought it looked interesting, so gave it a quick read.
It's an introduction to symphonic music using Beethoven's 5th Symphony--probably the most well-known symphony ever written--at least as far as the opening theme. The text and illustrations guide young readers through what a symphony (by that, referring to a musical composition) and an orchestra are, and then breaks the orchestra down by section and by instrument.
The book also has a sound panel with 19 different sound samples, each referred to by number in the text--so when describing the sound of the bassoon, for example, you press the corresponding number and hear a short sample of what a bassoon sounds like. There's also a sample of what the orchestra sounds like when tuning before a performance, and the opening and closing themes of the Beethoven.
I might mention that toward the end of the book there's a page by the author for adults as well, entitled "Raising a Child to Love Classical Music", and also a short bio of Beethoven.
I'm all for introducing the next generation to classical music in any and every way possible, so this little volume seems like a good idea to me.
The book also has a sound panel with 19 different sound samples, each referred to by number in the text--so when describing the sound of the bassoon, for example, you press the corresponding number and hear a short sample of what a bassoon sounds like. There's also a sample of what the orchestra sounds like when tuning before a performance, and the opening and closing themes of the Beethoven.
I might mention that toward the end of the book there's a page by the author for adults as well, entitled "Raising a Child to Love Classical Music", and also a short bio of Beethoven.
I'm all for introducing the next generation to classical music in any and every way possible, so this little volume seems like a good idea to me.
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