"The Mozart Effect - Music for Babies:
From Playtime to Sleepytime"

CD - $18.98
Cassette - $10.98

Read Fred's review in...

This recording is a three dimensional album. The first track can be used for active - and interactive - play and creativity. Track 2 has been selected for making the transition between play and sleep. Not too fast and not too slow, this is the perfect music for preparing for bath and bedtime. The final track suggests to your baby that this is time to go to sleep. Gradually the music becomes slower, sounding much like a lullaby.

Track 1 - Music for Playtime:
Playtime is an important time for you and your baby. This is a time to release stress, bring out joy, stimulate and actively engage your baby. Whether bouncing him on your knees, gently tickling her toes, or even playing "pat-a-cake" in time to the music, this is a delightful time to open your ears and hearts. Use this time to participate with the music, building rhythmic, physical and tonal skills to assist your baby in language development and physical co-ordination. Playtime can reduce the pressures of your own day and renew your childlike creativity, too. Four marvelous pieces have been selected to enhance your playtime listening:

i) L. Mozart - The Toy Symphony, II
Licensed through Delta Music Inc., Los Angeles, CA 4:10
This delightful piece was composed by Mozart's father, Leopold, a few months before Wolfgang was born on January 27, 1756. In a way, you could say Mozart listened to Mozart even before he was born! The Toy Symphony was sometimes attributed to Haydn, but is now recognized to be Leopold's work. The "little cuckoo," horn and glockenspiel call out a delightful tune, inviting you to play "pat-a-cake" with young babies or hide-and-seek with your older child. You'll hear, too, a rubbery ducky and bird join in the musical fun. This is simple and engaging playtime fun.

ii) W. Mozart - Excerpts from 12 Variations on Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman, K.265
Janos Sebestyen, organ 4:23
Nothing is more familiar than "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Mozart wrote variations on the French folk song "Ah vous dirai-je, Maman." Here is the familiar theme and four active variations played on the organ. Of course, this song can also be your own "Baa Baa Black Sheep" or "A-B-C Song" variations. To stimulate your baby's language development, repeat each verse over and over. You can easily make up simple actions, too.

iii) L. Mozart - The Toy Symphony, III, Minuet
Licensed through Delta Music, Inc., Los Angeles, CA 1:38
Returning to The Toy Symphony, this is a good time to dance and play with the toys and animals in sound. The music gets faster and faster so that you can rock, sway, waltz and play. The high sounds in this piece may be similar to some of the sounds your baby heard before birth.

iv) W. Mozart - Flute Quartet in C Major, K.171 (258b)
Jean Claude Gerard, Ensemble Villa Musica 5:44
In this playful excerpt from the flute quartet, Mozart almost tells a story. Try making up your own poems, rhymes or stories to the music. This light, active and fresh music is easy on the ears and is probably the best "ear candy" for your little one.

Track 2 - Transitions:
Music that is not too fast or too slow helps your baby's transition from active play to a more restful time.

v) W. Mozart - Rondo - Allegro ma non troppe from serenade No. 9 in D Major, K.320
Capella Istropolitana 5:52
A rondo repeats a melody section of music with variations in between. Use this selection to dance, gently rock or quietly play with your baby. You're sure to enjoy this quieter time, too!

vi) W. Mozart - Flute Quartet in C Major, K.171 (258b) Andantino
Jean Claude Gerard, Ensemble Villa Musica 10:27
This quiet and lovely piece is relaxing for everyone. Dr. Tomatis suggests placing the speakers at least six feet from baby's right side to assist in stimulating your child's left brain when you listen on the right side. Never play the music too loud.

Track 3 - Music for Sleepytime:
Having a musical signal to indicate sleep time can be most helpful.

vii) W. Mozart - Symphony No. 25 in G Minor, K.183, II, Andante
Capella Istropolitana, Barry Wordsworth, conductor 3:45
In this Symphony No. 25, Mozart uses a perfect "Go to Sleep" theme. Listen carefully and you will hear the music saying "Go to Sleep" in its melody. Sing or chant "Go to Sleep" every time you hear the theme. This selection is not quite a lullaby, and is, in fact, active at times, but it is just right for inviting your baby to begin a musical journey to sleep.

viii) W. Mozart - Organ Music, Variation on K.265, Ah vous dirai-je, Maman
Janos Sebestyen, organ 2:38
We return to a soothing, slow variation of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" played on the organ. The low sounds give us a quiet background to turn out the lights, say goodnight and pray your little baby has a long undisturbed night's sleep.

ix) W. Mozart - Adagio (III) from Quartet No. 20 in D Major K.499 "Hoffmeister"
Eder Quartet 8:10
Turn the music down softly before you leave the baby's room. The quiet music will mark other sounds in the house and slowly quiet the mind and body of your baby. Just think: you may be building the brain, heart and creativity of your own little future Mozart!

Music and Your Baby:
Music plays an important role in the intellectual, creative and motor skills development of your baby. More than 30 years ago, Dr. Alfred Tomatis, a French physician, began to research the relationship between listening and learning; in particular recognizing that children develop listening abilities even before birth. Dr. Tomatis also discovered that playing Mozart's music can help to develop speech, improve motor skills, aid in memory development and develop left-brain, or logical, thinking skills. Subsequent studies have shown that:

• Music aids in memory retrieval as early as three months of age.

• Preschoolers who study piano perform 34% better in spatial and temporal reasoning ability than preschoolers who spend the same amount of time learning to use computers.

• After eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers demonstrated a 46% boost in spatial reasoning IQ.

• 30 minutes of daily music instruction for one year was credited for increased perceptual-motor skills and creative thinking tests on first grade students. This study supports a recent Florida law (popularly known as the Beethoven Babies Bill) that legislates classical music in the daily program for all state-funded educational institutions and child-care centers.

A Few Words About Mozart:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was often called the eternal child. His playfulness, his joy and his genius created some of the most inspiring music ever written.

Mozart began listening to piano and violin music long before he was born. His father, Leopold, was a great musician and composer and often played the violin for his unborn son. When Wolfgang was born he was immediately immersed in a world of music. By the time Mozart was four years old, he was already beginning to compose and play for his father's important friends in the royal court. By the age of eight, Mozart was writing great music, and in his short life of nearly thirty-six years, he had written more than 600 major compositions including operas, symphonies, concertos and great works for choir.

Mozart has a simple yet remarkable way of being clear, organized and efficient, while not overly emotional. His music enters the brain in ways that are subtle yet powerful. Even if Mozart may not be your favorite composer, this music can help to build a healthy environment for your baby to listen and learn.

Don Campbell, author of THE MOZART EFFECT®, is an accomplished musician and teacher. His books, Introduction to the Musical Brain and Rhythms of Learning, are used by parents and educators throughout the world. For seven years he taught children from 60 countries at St. Mary's International School in Tokyo. In 1988, he founded the Institute for Music, Health and Education.

Don Campbell's book, The Mozart Effect, is available through your local bookseller or by calling Avon Books at (800)223-0690. For more information on other books and recordings by Don Campbell, write to The Mozart Effect, P.O. Box 4179, Boulder, Colorado 80306 or call (800)721-2177.

Music courtesy of:
HNH International Ltd., Spring Hill Music Inc., Delta Music, Inc.

© 1998 The Children's Group Inc.
1400 Bayly Street, Suite 7, Pickering, ON Canada
L1W 3R2 (800) 757-8372/(905) 831-1995
email: moreinfo@childrensgoup.com

The Mozart Effect is a registered trademark of Don Campbell Inc.
and is used with permission under license to The Children's Group Inc

"Whether you believe Don Campbell's theory that Mozart's music had a powerful effect on the intellectual and creative development of children, these thoughtfully assembled recordings are a great way for kids and grownups to share the exquisite compositions of this musical master."
-Sesame Street Parents Magazine

"At first I kind of rolled my eyes at this one. Yes, I'd heard all about how classical music can help increase children's intelligence, but I wasn't terribly interested in upping my daughter's IQ (she's only 9 months old). But then we listened... she loved it--grinning and moving from the very first notes. My husband and I enjoyed it, too!"
-Indy's Child

"Beautiful, stimulating and imaginative, The Mozart Effect collection should be your child's most important homework companion."
-Kids Directory, South Orange County, CA

"We have all heard about the benefits of exposing children to classical music. The playgroup members who frequent my home have given the series a sticky thumbs-up!
-Our Kids, Atlanta