Book Description

This lyrical romp through the orchestra begins with animal musicians slowly gathering for the evening performance. Poetic descriptions suggest the sounds of the instruments, and lively watercolor illustrations capture the playful essence of each musician and musical instrument. “It’s a smashing introduction to classical music, and a must prior to a first visit to the symphony.”--Publishers Weekly ... Read more

Reviews (5)

unfortunate grammar
I am a music teacher and at first reading I was very impressed until I reached the page where the book stated that the musicians were "coming on the stage" instead of "coming onto the stage". This error is grave enough that I decided not to buy multiple copies as student incentives. Defacing books is generally a bad idea, but I plan to cross out and write over the offending error before giving it to my nephew.

Instruments Galore.....
Meet the orchestra and all the fabulous instruments that come together to make such wonderful sounds, from the strings that are bowed or plucked, to the woodwinds and brass instruments that you blow air into, to the percussion section where instruments are "beaten, banged, dinged, and pinged." Author Ann Hayes takes you on a marvelous and intriguing journey through the orchestra, describing each section, instrument, and sound in simple, engaging and evocative language. Youngsters will almost be able to hear the low notes of the string bass moan and groan, the sadness of saying good-bye to someone you love when the oboe is played, flags flying and soldiers marching with the notes of the trumpet, and the flash of lightning when the cymbals crash. Unfortunately, Karen Thompson's illustrations are not equal to the text and are a bit dull and uninspired as you see page after page of expressionless animals, dressed in concert garb, holding instruments. Perfect for preschoolers, Meet The Orchestra is a lovely and gentle, read aloud introduction to musical instruments and their sounds the whole family can share together, and should peak the interest of budding little musicians everywhere.

Great Introduction To Orchestral Instruments
My twin sons cherished this book from the time they were two years old. We have gone through six paperback copies (each insisted on having his own); my boys shared it with everyone they saw, and they even slept with it! They love the clever and colorful pictures, and the short verses describing each instrument capture each instruments' special sound and qualities better than any other children's book I have seen. I played my kids symphonic recordings and a videotape (Bernstein conducting Beethoven's 9th) along with this book, and at age three they could easily identify all of the instruments by sight and sound.

A great book for children who have high interest in music!
The book is a great way of introducing music and musical instruments to children.The illustrations are wonderful!The animals are precious. For someone who would like to honor a musician in some way,this book would be a great book to do so.

A fun book that introduces instruments to your child
My daughters really like this book. They love the different animals and instruments. I love the words and descriptions they use while talking about what each instrument does and sounds like. I only wish they had a cassette tape that went along with it to introduce the sounds of the instruments as well. ... Read more

Book Description

Long out of print, the many adaptations that Russell has done of famous operas are finally collected again in 3 volumes, in the wake of his highly successful massive recent adaptation of Wagner¹s Ring of the Nibelung. This first volume presents his adaptation of one of Mozart¹s most famous works, a farcical tale mixed with fantasy. The story begins as the Queen of the Night sets Prince Tamino on a quest to rescue her daughter, Pamina from the evil Sarastro. On the way, he meets the bird-catcher Papageno, who is ³persuaded² to help Tamino in his quest. Tamino¹s spiritual quest is counterpoised with Papageno¹s own earthly search for his one true love, Papagena. Both couples¹ strivings are juxtaposed with the eternal conflict between Sarastro and the Queen of the Night. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

You've Tried The Rest, Now Try The Best
The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflute in German) was Mozart's final opera. It was his favorite and undoubtedly his greatest achievement. When he was in his deathbed, it was said that Mozart requested to hear the score to the Magic Flute one last time. Mozart was a Freemason, although he had been raised as a Catholic and enjoyed sponsorship by the Archbishop of Salzburg for some time. His conversion; into what was a religious and philosophical organization that praised the Englightenment and mystic Egyptian/Zoroastrian beliefs, effected and influenced his musical composition. He had already written music for a Masonic Funeral and Freemasonry deeply influenced the Requiem in D Minor.

This recording is out of print in cd form and was probably an LP in the 70's. In 1972, Walter Sawallisch, the Bavarian State Orchestra and the talents of Peter Schreir (Tamino), Annelise Rothenberger (Pamina), Walter Berry (Papageno), Kurt Moll (Sarastro) and Edda Moser (The Queen of the Night) put together what is the definitive, the greatest, the most perfect, the one and only Magic Flute. If you've heard the rest, now try the best. Contrary to the negative comments of the other reviewers, the Black Dog Opera Library has done an excellent job of making this opera accessible, a book full of great illustrations and liner notes on the singers, Mozart and his era. Yes, the Magic Flute has been unjustly considered and theatrically treated as a children's opera, a fairy tale with no real substance, a great work sugar coated into something like Broadway musical or cartoon. Singspiel was great opera (Mozart had tried the form previously with Abduction From The Seraglio) but unlike grand opera, it was more accessible to the ordinary people, to folks who loved catchy tunes they could whistle in the streets on organ grinders or for children to sing at play. It was a people's opera, not a stuffy, overly pompous piece of work. In a way, it was like Broadway or cartoons, simply because people could have fun at the opera. (For an example, take a look at the film Amadeus, in which Mozart is commissioned to write the Magic Flute for a more folk-oriented, Vienna lower class who drank beer and played games on stage while watching the opera, in a nearly circus like environment).

Discreetly embellished with Masonic symbolism (the three opening bombastic chords in the Overture, the Three Ladies, the Three Young Boys in the Balloon, the Egyptian rituals of purification, the choruses and the Zoroastrian figure of Sarastro) are all examples. Allegorically, it was the struggle between the ruling court of Empress Maria Teresa and the supression of Masonry in Austria. This book clearly states this fact. Thus, the powerfully evil Queen of the Night, whose arias are icy coloratura, represents Maria Teresa, Pamina represents the beautiful and faithful Austria, Tamino evidently Emperor Franz Joseph or simply any good person who is beckoned by a noble human cause and finally, Papageno is the earthy, common folk who is no less a great one. This recording is absolutely the best. Peter Schreir is a superlative tenor di grazie, highlights being his aria Dies Bildnis and his scenes with Pamina, Annelise Rothenberger a lyric soprano who reaches perfection in her aria "Ach Ich Fuhls" and her union with Tamino in the trial of fire. Kurt Moll's Sarastro is poignant, spiritual, a voice suited for God, whose low F's are contrasted by the sinister, neurotic, tempestuous raging scales of Edda Moser's Queen of the Night, who reaches high F's. The score to the opera is spiritual. Nothing Mozart ever wrote could be more spiritual, full of majesty, obscurity, joy, awe and power. Five stars for this excellent recording.

Excellent recording (out of print), but idiotic book.
The re-release of the legendary 1972 recording of Die Zauberflote, conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, is a great blessing to all who know and love this great work. Edda Moser's interpretation of the Queen of the Night is justly celebrated, achieving not only transcendently perfect delivery, but also a chilling portrait of pure evil. All of the other cast members are excellent. The spoken role of Papageno is particularly striking, sounding sufficiently pungent to remind us that the role was originally played by Emanuel Schickaneder himself. The tempi are, for the most part remarkably well-chosen. In addition, the Masonic gravity of the subject matter is constantly respected. The chorus of the armed men is properly alarming, the cantus firmus stridently insistent above the counterpoint of the strings. Even more uncommon is the treatment of the secondary scenes of Act II, especially the chorus Welche Wonne, in which the evocation of the candidate's future "new life" is infused with the trepidation inevitably attendant upon any trial of life and death. All too often, this work, which is gravely serious in its intent, is presented as a fairy tale. This recording successfully conveys the philosophical context, and does justice to Mozart's attachment to Masonry. [The only flaw which I could detect is the inclusion of a very questionable musical fragment, inserted into Act II, Scene 11 {"Pamina, wo bist du?"). I could locate no reference to this anywhere in my extensive library on the subject, and can only speculate that it might be some unacknowledged retention from one of the infamous "reworkings" of the opera which occurred after Mozart's death....At any rate, it requires an explanation....]

In view of this, it is sad to see this beautiful recording issued in association with a perfectly vile and disrespectful book about the opera. The author has the temerity to liken this work to "a Broadway musical", "a rollicking entertainment for the common man" simply because it was composed as a Singspiel, or German opera with spoken dialogue. This is equivalent to likening one of Shakespeare's comedies to a street farce. The book also suggests that Zauberflöte was composed for purposes of pure entertainment, unless it is, perchance, a "work of profound insight" dressed up in the trappings of a "cartoon". Obviously, the writer is ignorant of the significance of the Egyptian setting in the time of Mozart, when it was a clear symbol for rational ideas and liberal politics. The details of the setting delineate the struggle which was then taking place in Europe, over the true nature of Masonry, philosophy and music, and which soon came to a terrible end, for that time at least, with the banning of Freemasonry in Austria, and the loss of much of the learning about ancient philosophy which had been so laboriously gathered in circles such as that frequented by Mozart. It is largely on account of Zauberflöte, which alludes with precision to much of that learning, that it was not entirely annihilated in the chaos of the revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. Rather than misrepresenting this vitally important work, those who have the privilege of coming into contact with it should do all in their power to contribute to the very difficult, vital, and continuing attempt to understand it. While the availability of this recording is of great value, it is scandalous to see it associated with a contribution to the generally prevailing ignorance about this extremely important, and very difficult, work.

An irate Mozartian

A great way to learn about opera, suitable for young or old.
I received this as a gift from a mislead but well-meaning relative. Needless to say, I have never been a fan of opera. However, I was surprised that I was actually able to enjoy this book and accompanying CD. The book begins with a brief biography of Mozart, and then offers a prose overview of the story (extremely helpful for understanding!). The second half of the book contains the libretto, or text, of the opera. The original German forms one column on the left-hand side of each page, and the English translation is printed on the right. This way one can follow along with the story while listening to the music, even if you don't know a word of German. Throughout the entire book there are pictures from different stage performances of The Magic Flute. The musical recording is of high quality, contained on two disks that fit into pockets on the inside front and back cover of the book.

This would be a wonderful book for anyone interested in learning about opera, young or old. However, I must disagree with the reviewer who said this was geared toward children between three and seven. A 3-year-old would never be able to read the text, and a 7-year-old, unless very advanced, would no doubt struggle with it. The book is better suited for slightly older children all the way up through adults of any age. While I'm still not a fan of opera, I did gain some appreciation for it from this book and CD. I'm sure the only way to truly experience an opera is to see it performed live (just listening to a recording removes the entire visual element), but I would nevertheless recommend this product.

Wonderful story-telling
P. Craig Russell's drawing style seems especially apt for stories of enchanted lands and beings. His lines are light and airy, and he sets a mood nicely with color. In other words, he is ideally suited to illustrate this story.

He does a delightful job of it, too. He amplifies all of the characters theatrically beyond the believable, and has one small advantage over true opera - he is never at the mercy of the set designers, costumers, or other effects.

I am very glad to see this classic of western culture (and the others coming soon) made available in this format. I confess, I have not fully acquired the taste for opera, or the ability to derive the story from the way it is sung. I do, however, want to know at least a bit of the story, and this is a very digestible form. Russell's drawing makes it more than digestible, it's a real confection. I also appreciate the fact that Russell has adapted the story, and not created a new one from fragments of the classic.

Opera buffs - I hope you can accept this for what it is. One way to look at this is opera appreciation on training wheels, a painless entry into part of the operatic art. It's also a way to spread some knowledge of this classic across a generation that might not have been exposed to the story otherwise - certainly a good thing.

If nothing else, it's a well-drawn comic by a very capable artist. It's that "else" that makes this comic stand out. I'm looking forward to the next Russell operas.

(This reviews the book without the CD.)

A Good Introduction To Opera, Outstanding Recording
The Black Dog Opera Library Series had outdone themselves once again. In this 1972 recording of Mozart's last opera, we are treated to a fine performance by fine singers, a fully illustrated book with liner notes and commentary, as well as information useful in biographies on the composer and his time. Mozart was close to his death bed at the time he composed The Magid Flute. He made an opera that could be enjoyed at many levels. At one level, it is a comic, brilliant fairy tale for children, at another level, it is deeply symbolic and layed with Masonic ideals of universal brotherhood and love. Mozart and his librettist were both Freemasons, a religous "sect" that was under hot water in 18th century Vienna for its pagan origins and its advocation of ideas of the Enlightenment. The story is about Tamino, a prince who is lost in a strange land (originally, a mystic Egypt), who is rescued from a serpent by three mysterious women and promised the hand of the daughter of the Queen of the Night if he saves her from the wizard Sarastro. Together with the help of the comic bird-catcher, Papageno, he sets out on his adventure. But halfway through the opera, he discovers that he has been deceived. The Queen of the Night is the true villain and Sarastro is really a holy man. After many trials, the forces of evil are defeated and the opera ends blissfully with a victory.

Musically and dramatically, it is Mozart's greatest opera. From the striking Overture to the use of dark strings, trumpet and soaring flute passages, the individual arias which express intense emotions to the neverending theme that good triumphs over evil, the Magic Flute stands out as a great opera to begin with for newcomers and a favorite for old time opera fans.

In this recording, conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch leads the Bavarian State Orchestra in a highly effective, thoroughly dramatic and sentimental, full interpretation of Mozart's score. Tenor Peter Schreir as Tamino is exceptional, passionate in his aria "Dies Bildnis" (This portrait), and again as he plays his flute in "Wie Stark ist Nicht dein Zauberton" (How powerful is your music, magic flute), his individual lines in the ensembles and his duet with Pamina as they undergo the final trial of fire. Annelise Rothenberger, a sublime German lyric soprano, is moving in her portrayal of Pamina. She has her moments in this recording. Note how her high, melodic voice seems to come from nowhere as she confronts Sarastro and Tamino for the first time "Herr! Ich bin zwar Verbrecherin ! (Sir! I am the transgressor). Her aria "Ach Ich Fuhls" (O, I feel that happy days have passed) is the finest interpretation, full of pathos and a kind of melancholic madness, as well as her lines in her suicide attempt, finally, she is sublime as a strong woman ready to face trials with Tamino, especially striking when she sings the line "Tamino!".

Kurt Moll's Sarastro is without question the best. His voice is suited for God. So divine and sonorous and full of grace, his voice is especially noticeable in the aria "O Isis and Osiris " and "In deisen Heilen Hallen"( In these holy halls). Finally, and not to be missed, is Edda Moser's incredible interpretation of the Queen of the Night. You have not heard the true Queen of the Night, until you've heard Edda Moser. She has a Wagnerian intensity and neurosis in her lines, apt and effective for the role of a Queen bent on deception and the murder of her rival, Sarastro. Her aria "O Zittre Nicht, Mein Lieber Son" (O tremble not, beloved son" is full of lyric dramatic passages and coloratura at the end. The vengeance aria "Der Holle Rache Kocht Meine Herzen "(Hell's Anger Burns Within My Heart) is full of fire. The way she attacks the dramatic, powerful lines is out of this world and the high F's she escalates are unsurpassed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Star of 3rd Rock from the Sun, actor John Lithgow is less well known as a music enthusiast, but in his comical verse story The Remarkable Farkle McBride, he has created the musical prodigy he would perhaps like to have been. Farkle is a little boy with astounding talents (he's playing violin with the orchestra by the age of 3) but little perseverance. Each year he gets bored with his instrument, takes up and masters a new one, and then gets bored with that. Of his recently beloved trombone, he says, "The racket is more than my eardrums can bear! So return it or throw it away! I don't care!" In the end, Farkle realizes that the whole orchestra is his instrument: he finds satisfaction as a conductor, and the book ends with a gatefold of him triumphantly leading all the other musicians. C.F. Payne's illustrations combine a Norman Rockwell realism with a caricaturist's sense of humor. (Ages 5 and older) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (23)

The Remarkable Farkle is Fantastic!
This is one of the best children's books out there. I have read this book to several grade school classes (K - 3rd) and it's always a winner. Mr. Lithgow does a wonderful job of putting words to the sounds of instruments and his rhyme is fantastic.

Mr. Payne's illustrations are brilliant and are the finishing touch to this a new "classic"

It seems that there is a rush of actors writing children's books with varying degrees of success, but Mr. Lithgow does a first class job. If he decides to abandon his day job - he has a brilliant future as a children's author.

Buy the book - you or your children won't be dissappointed.

Music Made Wonderful
Farkle McBride is definitely a remarkable little guy. He could play the violin at three. But was bored with violin playing at four. At five he discovered the flute. But at six decided it was not for him. When Farkle was seven, he took up the trombone, but then gave it up too. Next he tried percussion, but decided that was not quite right for him either. After thinking and thinking he realized that his very favorite sound was all the different instruments playing together...the orchestra. And so when the conductor gets sick, Maestro Farkle McBride steps in, finding what he really likes to do most at last. John Lithgow as written a terrific children's book, full of rhythm, rhyme and wonderful sound effects. His text is complimented by C.F. Payne's very expressive and detailed, larger than life illustrations. This is a delightful story that will charm and amuse all youngsters aged 4-8 and is a wonderful introduction to both musical instruments and the orchestra. The Remarkable Farkle McBride is a winner and a wonderful addition to all home libraries.

Musical Fun
I judge a great children's book by how easily the words flow, how captivating and relevant the illustrations are, and most importantly, if my children enjoy it. The illustrations are what first caught my eye and since I have a very musical family, I thought this would be a nice addition to our library. My children loved it immediately! The rhythym is fun and the sheer silliness of this boy who is so musically talented but cannot seem to find his place, sends my kids into fits of laughter. Sometimes, as adults, I think we need to stop taking ourselves so seriously and find simple pleasure in things the way our kids do. This book comes highly recommended.

Way To Go, Mr. Lithgow!
Farkle McBride is not satisfied. He's a musical genius who masters every instrument he picks up, only to toss it away out of boredom soon after. By the end of this story, told in fun, lilting verse, Farkle has found a way to be involved in music; a way that also holds his interest.

John Lithgow's books are a cut above many other children's books written by celebrities. The rhymed verse that he uses to tell Farkle's story bounces and rambles along, and it's almost impossible not to hear Lithgow's voice in your head, "reading" the book to you.

The illustrations by C.F. Payne are at once sensitive and wonderfully silly; they're a perfect match for Lithgow's text. I have been known to bring this book out for friends and just open it to certain pages (such as the one showing Farkle with the cymbals) to exclaim, "Look at this painting! Look at the kid's face. Isn't that a riot? And the story's really good too!"

Fantastic Story
I purchased this book through day care for my 6 month old daughter. She loved it from the start. She is now 13 months, and this is her favorite bedtime story. She can point out farkle, the birds, and the instruments. Nice rhymes, clever story. The paperback version rips easily with a toddler, so I'm purchasing the hardback now. ... Read more

Book Description

The Caldecott Honor book, now in paperback!

With mournful moan and silken tone,

itself alone comes ONE TROMBONE...

Then a trumpet joins in to become a duet; add a French horn and voila! you have a trio -- and on it goes until an entire orchestra is assembled on stage. Lloyd Moss's iresistible rhymes and Marjorie Pricemans's energetic illustrations make beautiful music together -- a masterpiece that is the perfect introduction to musical instruments and musical groups, and a counting book that redefines the genre. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

ENCHANTING
I first came across this book in one of my university classes (Music for the Child)and fell in love with it immediately. It is now is my son's (age 2 1/2) favorite book. Even my husband loves it. We can all recite it by heart. It's a great way to introduce musical instruments to young children. My son recently saw a harp in person for the first time and recognized it right away because of this story. The prose, the illustrations - all are wonderful!!! A must for any child's library!

Fresh, charming, artistic approach to counting and music
I wish I could give this book 6 stars, because it is a truly wonderful book for preschoolers. One by one, the instruments in a classic orchestra are introduced, combining simple counting with music education. The text is in elegant rhyme, perfectly complemented by the bright, original & whimsical illustrations (make sure you pay attention to the "dance" performed by the cats, dog and mouse). A top-notch addition to a young child's library.

Emergent readers' gem!
Being a cello player myself, I believe all children should be exposed to music as soon as possible. This is a great introduction to music, orchestras, and the sounds the instruments make. It's great for emergent readers because of the rhyming and the way the words seem to flow from page to page. The illustrations are beautiful and whimsical. I really like the way the author uses pretty advanced descriptive words for the sounds the instruments make, like 'mournful moan' for the trombone and 'the reeds implore'.

Students will also learn basic information about musical groups, such as what they're called, octet, quintet, etc. A great part of this book is that the musical terminology is not reduced to children's levels. The words are quite large and reflect what is really true about classical musical instruments and musical groups. I think children would enjoy seeing the illustrations and learning about these instruments, and perhaps picking their favorite one. It plants an early seed in their head about orchestral groups, makes music fun, and perhaps creates a new generation of orchestral students.

Obviously, this is a minority opinion
As the 20-plus reviews thus far have ALL been five stars! So, take what I say with a grain of salt...

and even I actually mostly like this book (though I know at least one person who actually dislikes the book and won't read it anymore -- she finds the art ugly and the text strained -- but I'm married to her, she can write her own review).

I don't particularly notice the art, I'm usually half-asleep when reading this book to my 4-year-old in bed. But the text does sometimes jar me -- my teeth practically break when I get to the lines that rhyme CELL-o with hell-O (clearly one is supposed to pronounce it HELL-o here, but I can't make myself do it) -- on the other hand, some of it's really quite nice: "with steely keys that softly click//its breezy notes so darkly slick,..." (that ought to give you a sense of it -- if you say that aloud and think "ooh, I like the way those words fit together", and you want to say them to your child, then get this book. If you think "a clarinet's notes are breezy? or slick?"
or you worry about the rhyme of clarinet and septet, then maybe it isn't for you.)

Still, I like the nice twist on counting books, with 1,2,3,
becoming solo, duo, trio, etc. -- and the mouse-cats-dog subplot in the pictures is cute, too.

Awesome!
My three year old loves this book. We've read it only a few times, but he can already correct me if I mess up. He is learning to count, about instruments, the orchestra. It is just a fabulous book. Not to mention the terrific artwork. This is definately one of my favorites!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (8)

Aida Rocks!
I read this book and marvelled at the incredible illustrations. I'm a teacher, so I shared it with my young students. They didn't understand everything, but they sure did appreciate the artwork and story line. I'm buying it again as a gift for my niece's 12th birthday. She is obsessed with Egypt and Egyptian subjects. The Aida Broadway production recently came through Austin at the Bass Concert Hall, but we were unable to attend. This truly is the next best thing. When read correctly, it pleases the senses so much more (or as much as to some people) than hearing the production.

Not too impressed...
WARNING WARNING...do not expect too much from this book if you are a fan of Elton John's Broadway musical and not the actual opera. I found this book in the library shortly after seeing the traveling version of the new "Aida" (it was AWESOME) and, while the book does have gorgeous pictures and the story is told from the point of view of someone who practically lives in Aida's shoes, I was disappointed with the overall story. It was completely unlike the show I saw. I realize that the opera and the Broadway show are totally different. However, I found this book to be confusing and was unimpressed by the sloppy style of the writing...loved the musical, though!!

A masterpiece that brings back memories
I was only about 10 or 11 when my PATS class was studying the arts. I was given this book as a gift, and brought it to the class. The teacher then got the information from my book to buy it for herself. To this very day I have an appreciation for the arts, and especially Aida. Even though I cannot find my book, I still have the cover, and the memories. The tale is beautifully written, and the exceptional artwork in my opinion should be enlarged and framed. I recommend this beautiful book as a teaching tool for young students.

Aida - A wonderful literture tie-in with Egyptian history!
Leontyne Price's retelling of Aida is concise and beautifully illustrated. My three sixth grade classes loved the story, but my voice gave out in the repeated readings! I found the CD-Rom of Aida, which features Ms. Price's rich voice reading the text, along with musical excerpts from the opera. (Ms. Price sings Aida, Placido Domingo sings Radames.) Total playing time on the CD is 67:22. I expect this combination of beautiful story, music, illustrations, and singing will serve my students well as an introduction/exposure to opera.

The Heroine Aida
Forbidden love, enemy captivity, and royal betrayal - Aida endures it all. This book is a talented interpretation of a beautiful tragedy composed by Giuseppe Verdi in the late 1800s. Children of all ages can now delight in the story of the Ethiopian Princess and the noble Egyptian warrior brought to life by the stunning illustrations of Leo and Diane Dillon, who were awarded the Caldecott medal for previous work in children's literature. This book captivated my imagination and heart because of its unique narrative perspective and intense passion with which the tale is told. Leontyne Price is the gifted performer who played the character of Aida for many years with much success. In the afterward of the book, Price describes the passion she had for her character. "In many ways," she says, "I believe Aida is a portrait of my inner self." That relationship with her character manifests itself in her telling of the story for children. Each scene is filled with the emotions and struggles of the young princess, with supporting dialogue and illustrations to enchant children and adults of all ages. The story introduces children to the two ancient cultures of Ethiopia and Egypt, while the illustrations help them to envision a time long, long ago. The relationships between a young girl, her father, her true love, and her country are depicted with emotion, struggle, and beauty by both the author and the illustrators. However, the most appealing aspect of this story is Aida herself. She is a strong woman of royal blood that holds her head high in the face of adversity and yet struggles to do right by all those she loves. She is a true heroine and children's literature must continue to produce such women for generations to come. ... Read more

Book Description

Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony is one of the most popular classical works ever. In this spirited account of the story behind the composition, Joseph Horowitz brings to life the diverse musical and cultural influences that inspired the composer, who came from Czechoslovakia to America in 1892. Listening to his assistant, Henry Burleigh, sing slave songs, and visiting Wild West shows and the Kickapoo Medicine Show gave Dvorak the raw material from which to compose his masterpiece that, to both popular audiences and critics, captures the vibrancy and power of American music. Illustrated with archival black-and-white photos, and including index and source notes for further research, this book brings the dramatic and inspiring story of a musical masterpiece to life for young readers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Brilliant Book for Young Readers!
Joseph Horowitz loves the late 19th and early 20th world of culture. He is simultaneously scholar and activist. His bold, unprecendented project is to take historical moments and richly employ them to introduce the excitement of classical music to young readers. He could have no better scenario than Dvorak in the New World. Here the composer seeks to create an American musical language based on a synthesis of the high symphonic style with elements of Black and Indian music. The characters are vividly drawn and the whole is both beautifully written and wonderfully gauged for young readers. A real treat! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The life and times of famous composer Antonio Vivaldi
In reading some of the books in this Famous Composers Series it is surprising how many great composer were not considered great in their own lifetime. Antonio Vivaldi was a brilliant violinist and a gifted teacher, but apparently audiences grew bored with his concertos, church music, and opera during his lifetime. Like Mozart he died poor and alone in Vienna. This book by Roland Vernon is quite informative, working in all sorts of details about the times in which Vivaldi lived while chronicling the musician's life. For example, while talking about Vivaldi's childhood in Venice we learn all about the Doge and Patricians of Venice and the city's most impressive church, St. Mark's Basilica. But the focus is on Vivaldi as a musician and how he was a pioneer of the concerto, who explored new ways of composing solo instrumental passages to be placed between sections of orchestral music. However, all this wonderful information sometimes gets lost because these volumes are full of color illustrations. Ian Andrew provides some contemporary artwork to covers the specifics of Vivaldi's biography, but what really stands out are the historic paintings and contemporary photographs that give us a sense of the 18th century Venice in which he wrote and played music. I have seen a lot of books about famous painters that are not as well illustrated as the volumes in the Famous Composers Series. Other titles in this series introduce us to Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Gershwin, Mozart, Stravinsky, and Verdi. As always, it is recommended that young readers being introduced to Vivaldi, or any other composer, should listen to the famous musician's music while reading such a book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Another great book in this series
Author Mike Venezia does a great job explaining biographies to children in a way that is both understandable and interesting. The writing style is not dumbed down or patronizing in tone. This is book is one in a series, others are about other musical composers and artists.

The first few pages explain what the musical climate was like in Mozart's life and explains how people used music for entertainment purposes. This is brief and a very good opening to put Mozart's life in perspective. The rest of the book is a full span of Mozart's life. Unlike other books for children about Mozart, the fact that Mozart was a boy genius is not the main content of the book. Oddly, Mozart's children are never mentioned. Mozart's marriage is briefly mentioned as is Mozart's death.

I have mixed feelings about the illustrations. I appreciated that the illustrations documented the various time periods of Mozart's life. I loved the illustrations that were photographs, fine drawings, or copies of fine paintings of the places Mozart visited, of Mozart and his family, and scenes of his operas. I did not at all like the eight cartoons whose illustrations and accompanying text were sarcastic and silly. These eight cartoons were completely out of character with the text of the book and I didn't appreciate them at all. My children and I have enjoyed other books by this author that did not have dumb cartoons and jokes. My children, aged 4 and 6 haven't needed these silly and sometimes insulting jokes to make the subject matter enjoyable. The interesting biography's text and other illustrations are high quality and are better off without these cartoons. The cartoons downgrade my rating to a 4.

I recommend this book and others by Mike Venezia to teach young children about important people in history.

Mozart's life story told with Venezia's funny cartoons
When I discovered that Mike Venezia was following up his successful Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series with Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers, it was obviously going to be the volume on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart that was going to be the one I would most be interested in reading. In terms of his cartoons illustrating in comic ways some of the key developments in Mozart's life from child prodigy performing with his older sister as their father toured them throughout Europe, Venezia certainly delivers. There are also historic paintings and other illustrations of Mozart from throughout his life. But while this volume is an adequate juvenile biography of the great musician, it is a less than satisfactory musical biography. Granted, this is an inherent disadvantage for the Composers series over the Artists series, given that at least in the latter you could reproduce the greatest paintings of the greatest composers, but Venezia refrains from mentioning specific works by Mozart until the final pages of the book. Given my inherent position that a young reader should read this volume while listening to a decent collection of Mozart's "hits," it would be useful not only if more works were specifically mentioned but if they were more specific than entire operas. The only way to appreciate great music is to listen to it and in all of these volumes telling of great composers from George Handel to George Gershwin I think that Venezia clearly has a great opportunity to direct his readers to some prime examples. This is what Venezia did in his volume in this series on Johann Sebastian Bach and it should be a standard part of every volume in the series. Still, young readers will get a much better sense for Mozart's entire life than they will from watching "Amadeus," but the film will do a better job of getting them to fall in love with his music. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Even Opera Haters Will Love This Delightful Book
My children, ages 5 and 2, and I, a musician mom, love this book. The pictures are colorful and beautiful. The first page of each story is a picture of all the main opera characters with their names underneath, so the children can refer to this page if the story begins to confuse them. This is followed by a synopsis of the opera, a blurb about the composer and then the opera itself. The text is simply magnificent. The stories are interesting all on their own, and even if you don't like opera you will love this book.

"Child-Friendly" Opera
This book would be a good choice for introducing children to the stories from operas. The author does a nice job of retelling in simple terms, the often-time complicated stories from seven different "child-friendly" operas. Some of the stories will be new to children and are sure to hold their interest. A couple of the operas are based on fairy-tales the children already know and they will be interested to see the differences in these versions. My only complaint was that I did not feel that the illustrations lived up to the same high quality as the stories. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An entertaining juvenile biography of J. S. Bach
Having enjoyed Mike Venezia's Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series, I had some doubts about his World's Greatest Composers series for the simple reason that music does not have the same visual dimension as paintings (I figured that out all by myself). One of the strengths of the Artists series was that Venezia could provide examples of famous paintings by the likes of Rembrandt or Van Gogh and talk specifically about artistic technique. Consequently, more often than not, those volumes constituted mini-lessons in art appreciation for young readers. However, even when these Greatest Composers volumes are reduced to being just juvenile biographies, they still constitute a delightful look at a famous person.

In the case of Johan Sebastian Bach we find once again the delightful combination of historic paintings of Bach and his times, along with Venezia's wickedly funny but still informative cartoons (e.g., Bach as a tester and repairer of organs). Young readers will be astounded by the fact that Bach has 20 children, four of whom went out to be composers of note as well, but even more so by the revelation that Bach's music was not especially popular in his own time because it was too "new." Hopefully reading this volume will get young readers interested in the music of Bach: my strong suggestion would be that a youngster reading this book should also be able to listen to Bach's music. Any of the decent Bach collections of "greatest hits" should have "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" and excerpts from "The Brandenburg Concertos," as well as examples of the various types of music composed by Bach and talked about in this volume. This would be true for any volume in this series, which includes volumes on great composers from Ludwig Van Beethoven to The Beatles! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Amusing Illustrations
This is one in a wonderful series of books intended to introduce young readers to the lives of famous composers. Tchaikovsky was an interesting character, to say the least, and Venezia does a nice job of expressing that in an amusing way without losing respect for the composer. Venezia picks out events in Tchaikovsky's life that children can relate to and at the same time, see his unique way of dealing with life. As with all the books in this series, the best part are the illustrations. Cartoonlike and colorful; they are full of details and wonderfully amusing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An entertaining juvenile biography of the great Ludwig Van
Mike Venezia's Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers series tends to focus on biographies rather than music appreciation because unlike his companion series on the World's Greatest Artists you cannot include a sonata the way you can a reproduction of a painting. However, for Ludwig Van Beethoven the author/illustrator makes an exception. This volume begins with an appreciation for how Beethoven changed the sound of music (no more party music). Within that context Venezia provides the expected biography, complete with historic ethics and paintings as well as those funny cartoons; just think Beethoven as the Liberace (if you are over 50) or Elton John (if you are under 50) of his day. There is also a photograph of his eyeglasses and metal ear trumpets. However, Venezia only mentions a handful of specific works by Beethoven, touching on how the 3rd symphony represented Napoleon, the four-note theme of the 5th Symphony, and going into some depth on the 6th Pastoral Symphony (but no mention of the glorious 9th Symphony or his other masterworks). Still, I appreciate the attempt to get more into Beethoven's music than he has done in other volumes of this series, which covers not only the great classic composers like Handel and Mozart, but also contemporary composers from Aaron Copland and George Gerswhin to Duke Ellington and the Beatles. As always, the recommendation is for young readers to have listened to some of Beethoven's masterpieces before, during and after reading this engaging juvenile biography and mini-music appreciation lesson. ... Read more

Book Description

This spellbinding collection of eight well-known stories was created and

designed especially for children. Acclaimed author Adèle Geras has

dramatically retold familiar operas such as The Magic Flute and

Aida, giving us timeless tales filled with magic, love, war, friendship,

and a host of larger-than-life characters. Eight popular illustrators have

brought these splendid stories to life in a colorful array of styles.

Additionally, each opera is accompanied by spectacular costume sketches and a

brief biography of the composer. The end result is a truly beautiful, fresh,

entertaining, and child-friendly collection for the whole family.




... Read more

Reviews (1)

Opera Stories For Children
This book retells eight well-known opera stories. Most are of the fairy tale variety, while a couple, (Carmen, Aida) are more mature in nature. Generally, the stories are told well, in a way that would be understandable to children. Some of the more complicated stories are told in the first-person and I think these are the best stories in the book. I wasn't completely thrilled with the illustrations but I did like very much the small picutres that showed and described characters' costumes. This added an interesting touch to the book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wonderful Book
Venezia's love and respect for music shine through in another of the books in his World's Greatest Composers series. The story of Aaron Copland's life is told in an interesting and amusing fashion and shows children how Copland discovered his own style through his experiences over the years. While Venezia's artwork is comical as ever, the choice of artwork is also wonderful, showing how music as well as art changed as the times were changing. Children will appreciate how Copland looked to change his musical style when he realized that many people weren't understanding it. Venezia really brings Aaron Copland to life in this wonderful little book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Introducing young readers to the music genius of Mozart
By the time Mozart was 20 he was one of the most exciting composers in Europe. He had already accomplished more than 99.9% of us do in an entire lifetime. Mozart's true musical genius was not recognized until after he died, but the extent of is talent is detailed in this juvenile biography of Roland Vernon. This story begins with a recognition of his genius and the more than 600 musical works he composed, then tells the story of the child genius who became a famous musical prodigy and then the darling of Vienna. The book is comprised of two page spreads, illustrated mostly with historic paintings and drawings along with contemporary art by Ian Andrew. The back of the book contains a Time Chart and a Glossary, which covers not only vocabulary terms like "concerto" and "libertine". For those young readers who have seen the film "Amadeus," Vernon provides a final sidebar that pointedly separates fact from fiction. Introducing Mozart is part of a series that looks at the influences and historical events that shaped the lives of the great composers from Bach and Beethoven to Stravinsky and Gershwin. This volume does indeed put the composer's life in the context of the revolutionary times in which he lived and composed his music. Final suggestion: while reading this biography of Mozart listening to his music is a good idea. There are several decent "hits" collection of Mozart's music readily available and you will find that most of those tracks on such albums are specifically mentioned in the pages of this volume. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

A wonderful musician bio
This book is wonderfully written. It tells a mini-story of Bach's life in a very child-friendly way. It touches on his birth (and death) and his religious life. The focus is on Bach - not his religion. The artwork is vibrant and I highly recommend the book.

Music Was His Life.....
Johann Sebastian Bach was born into a family of musicians. All the Bachs played musical instruments, and young Sebastian was no exception. But even more than the joy of playing, Bach loved composing his own music. "Sebastian heard the music in his head. The melodies came fast- as his pen raced over the page, he rarely changed a note. He heard one melody for the violin, one for the trumpet, one for the flute, and one for the oboe. Each instrument had its own voice. And when all the voices sounded at the same time, it was like good friends talking together." Bach married, had twenty children, and settled in Leipzig where he was the church music and choir director. He worked all day teaching his students and playing the organ, and composed all night as "new music filled Sebastian's head." During his life, Bach wrote over one thousand compositions. It is said that even as he took his dying breath, he was composing one last piece..... Jeanette Winter has written an engaging and informative, introductory picture book biography that brings Bach and his times to life on the page. Her simple, spare, yet eloquent prose is lyrical and poetic, and complemented by her evocative, vibrant, and expressive signature folk art paintings. Together word and art give youngsters a real feeling for the intensity of Bach's great love and devotion to both playing and composing music. Perfect for reading aloud, or for early readers 6-10, Sebastian is a fascinating and entertaining biography that will whet the appetite of budding musicians, and send them out looking for more.

Perfection In Read Aloud Picture Book Bios
Winter has achieved another perfect picturebook bio for reading aloud (see My Name Is Georgia and Diego Rivera). Simply told, with beautiful language this book is a keeper! Wow, she's an awesome illustrator too! Music teachers across the country should be buying multiple copies for their classrooms! Buy it!

If we could only give it more stars!
My daughter and I loved this book! It's story is easily understood and the beautiful illustrations are sweet and peaceful and really bring the words to life. While the author did write about Bach's church music, she did not mention his devotion to God. But there are other books about that. This is a book for everyone. ... Read more