Child's Celebration of Classical Music
A Child's Celebration of Classical Music, like its esteemed peers in theMusic for Little Peopleseries, is not only of superior quality, it caters to the interest of kids without dumbing down the music. Beginning with the lively Boston Pops Orchestra rendition of "In the Hall of the Mountain King," this collection draws the listener into worlds created by orchestral majesty, powerful buildups, and exquisite narrative. Meryl Streep's buttery tones preface Ravel's magically ruminative "Sleeping Beauty" and Carol Channing is simply marvelous in her telling of the giggle-inducing yarn of "Gerald McBoing Boing," as set to strings and drums, cymbal clashes, and horn accents. David Bowie provides a distinguished narration to Prokofiev's nearly-30-minute-long "Peter and the Wolf" suite, a classic which still thrills and delights audiences half a century after the composer's death. Throughout, children will delight in distinguishing the wide array of instruments and the sounds they represent.--Paige La Grone