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Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket
Published Oct 2011
Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most influential composers of all time, is brought vividly to life and made relevant to today’s young musicians in Beethoven for Kids. Children will learn about Beethoven’s troubled childhood and family life, early gift and passion for music, volatile personality, championing of equality and freedom, and persistence in his work despite increasing hearing loss. The great musicians, thinkers, and movements of Beethoven’s time, from Mozart and Haydn to the bold new ideas of the Enlightenment, are presented and their profound effect on the composer's life and music explained. Twenty-one engaging activities, including singing musical variations, dancing a Viennese waltz, creating an operatic diorama, and making a model eardrum, illuminate Beethoven’s life, times, and work. A time line, a glossary, online resources, and recordings and reading lists for further listening and study round out this comprehensive resource.
Trade Paper, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket
Published Apr 2013
Giuseppe Verdi, one of the most influential composers of the 19th century and a dominant force in Italian opera for 50 years, is illuminated in this thorough exploration geared toward young musicians. Offering insight into Verdi’s long life—from the horrible loss of his family to the disapproving opinions of his neighbors—and opening the world of opera and Italian culture, this resource creates an accessible and tangible investigation into the elite world of classical opera. Engaging and creative activities, such as singing like a diva, making a panpipe, playing bocce ball, and sketching a costume for Falstaff, reinforce the musical concepts and terms that are introduced within and elucidate the times in which Verdi lived. Along with learning about various opera jobs, opera production, what takes place at rehearsals, and opera house history, inquisitive kids will gain a fuller understanding of Verdi’s life, times, and music and how the composer intersected with the great musicians and events of his lifetime.