These reviews by Fred Koch appeared in the June, 1999 issue of “Chicago Parent Magazine.” Reviewed in this column:
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I love this information age with all its digital technology! What I mean is, I love all of the musical possibilities, especially with the reissue of older recordings--some in their original forms, some as new compilations that include a variety of artists. This month, I want to shine a spotlight on three of my new old favorites.
I had forgotten how taken I was by the songs on Carole King's Really Rosie until I popped in the newly remastered CD version (Sony Wonder, 1999) of this 1975 Grammy-nominated album. I sang along with song after song, surprising myself with how many of the words I still remembered and how good the music still felt. When I first started teaching elementary music, this was one of the few commercial recordings for children I thought was musically hip and thematically childlike enough to bring into my classroom. The songs tell the tales of 10-year-old Rosie--the star of her Brooklyn block--and her neighborhood friends, and are based on the acclaimed children's book and animated feature, "Maurice Sendak's Really Rosie Starring the Nutshell Kids" (lyrics by Sendak, music by King). "Pierre," a waltzing song, came back to me fresh and clear. In a flashback, I saw myself in front of my 2nd graders, miming and dramatizing this tale of a boy who only would say, "I don't care!" Each time I finished the kids would say, "Do it again!" Back then, my students were also fond of "Alligators All Around," a singable romp through the alphabet, "One Was Johnny," a number-based rhyming song, and "Chicken Soup With Rice." I still enjoy Sendak's timeless lyrics and the energy which King, who was then at the top of her musical popularity, brought to the music. So I'm bringing the new CD of Really Rosie back to school and my hunch is that today's students will respond as enthusiastically as did my students years ago. Go Back to Top A distinctively different and unique reissue which has just been released is Lead Belly Sings For Children (Smithsonian Folkways, 1999). Many consider Lead Belly one of the most important folk musicians of this century. He was known to perform his music for anyone who wished to hear it, and he particularly enjoyed playing for young audiences. This historic compilation includes the entire "Negro Folk Songs for Young People" (1960), selections from "Play Parties in Song and Dance" (1941), tracks recorded by Folkways' founder Moses Asch (who introduced the world to Ella Jenkins), and some previously unreleased material. These songs aim to teach children about African-American life in the rural South. They include children's rhymes, game songs, blues and spirituals, work songs, and some of Lead Belly's best-known songs like "Pick A Bale Of Cotton" and "Take This Hammer." Performances include unaccompanied Lead Belly solos as well as songs accompanied by children, a Creole jazz band and a gospel quartet. The 28 selections include originals and classics such as "Skip To My Lou," "Blue-Tailed Fly," "Ha Ha This A-Way," "John Henry," "Rock Island Line," and the song Lead Belly is probably best known for, "Midnight Special." Smithsonian Folkways includes an excellent accompanying booklet of liner notes, with lyrics, that sheds light on the singer's sometimes controversial, always interesting and ultimately successful career. Having heard way too many overzealous claims (and having seen way too much opportunistic marketing) related to the effects of classical music on children, I'm reluctant to pick up CDs with titles such as Build Your Baby's Brain. After all, I believe it is important to expose kids to high quality music for music's sake, not to boost their SAT scores. Go Back to Top But I'm a Mozart fan, so I picked up Build Your Baby's Brain 2--Through The Power of Mozart (Sony Classical, 1999). When I noticed that it's a compilation of previously-recorded Mozart music performed by various orchestras and musicians--and Sony Classical has an incredible library of material to choose from--I opened it up and gave it a listen. On a strictly musical level, I enjoyed it. This is a very nicely organized selection of Mozart music, featuring an array of stellar performances. Familiar melodies include "Piano Sonata #15 (Allegro)" performed by Glenn Gould (faster than I've ever heard it), the "Twinkle, Twinkle" Variations, selections from The Marriage of Figaro, and one of my all-time favorites, "Rondo Alla Turca--Turkish March," a piano sonata played by an orchestra. Less familiar pieces such as "The Sleigh Ride," from Three German Marches, blend wonderfully with well-known Mozart works including "Romance" from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and "Horn Concerto #4." The liner notes offer helpful hints, a sort of "How to Relate to Your Child with Music--101" course summary. But the final statement admits, "Though we cannot guarantee more points on the next IQ test, we can promise increased pleasure with each hearing, and we know this recording will enhance the quality time, in play and rest, of children and parents alike." So if you think you'd enjoy another pleasurable Mozart compilation, look past all the hype and simply enjoy Build Your Baby's Brain 2--for music's sake. All of these recordings are major label releases, so you should be able to find them wherever quality children's music is sold. You can also find online information for Sony Wonder at www.sonywonder.com, for Smithsonian Folkways at www.si.edu/folkways, and for Sony Classical at www.sonyclassical.com. And remember to contact me with your recommendations or comments. Write to me in care of Chicago Parent, or send e-mail to me at fkoch@lfelem.lfc.edu. Fred Koch is an award-winning music educator and a nationally recognized children's musician. He lives in Lake Bluff with his wife and young son. Go Back to Top |
