kids and music

[sjwenger]

There's a new television program that introduces little children to classical music very nicely. For those who haven't seen it, Little Einstein introduces one piece of music per program, and one work of art. For example, they have one program with Van Gogh's "Haystacks" and Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto Number Five." They show scenes that evolve into "Haystacks" and the characters plant a garden at the urging of the dancing pigs, with constant repetition of the main theme of the Brandenburg Five. Other parts of the Brandenburg are played a little, but the characters sing a song to the tune of the main theme several times, they encourage the viewers to sing along, there are clouds in the shapes of the musical instruments, etc. By the end of the 30 minutes, the child is very well acquainted with the first theme of the Fifth, singing it, dancing to it, conducting it, etc. If you want to catch them young, this program is geared to 2-4 year-olds.
- Susan

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To learn about "The Port-Wine Sea," my parody of Patrick O'Brian's wonderful Aubrey-Maturin series, please contact me at
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[jfienen]

Should teachers be able to use a different tatic in teaching the classics. I feel that today generation is losing what the classics are.

[Beyond Within]

Wow, the situation in the UK is that bad? I had thought the cultural wasteland was confined to the US...

...but then again, I spoke to a college student from Switzerland once who was visiting here for a year, and she didn't know ANYTHING about classical music, nor did she seem to have much interest in art in general. She said she played flute, so I obsessively mentioned Bach's harpsichord/flute works, and she had no idea what I was talking about.

humanitas docenda est!

[Steppenwolf]

Originally posted by Beyond Within:
Wow, the situation in the UK is that bad? I had thought the cultural wasteland was confined to the US...

The general rule in modern times is that what happens in America, the leading Western country, usually ends up spreading everywhere else (although perhaps there is not a causal link, but just parallel development) Decades ago the British would look at American crime and violence, for eg. in New York, with astonishment. Now Britain is a very violent, crime-ridden place. When you look at old English movies and old BBC TV historical dramas, don't think that this represents what is happening in Britain today.

There is certainly more emphasis on art and culture, and classical music, on the continent (of Europe). But generally the West appears to be in varying states of cultural decline.

[Beyond Within]

It is an inexorable cycle, anyway. Once this civilization collapses, which it will, we will have a rebirth. Just as we gaze at Michaelangelo and read Shakespeare with wistful joy, the Romans of the late Empire gazed at Polykleitos's sculpture and read Virgil with wistful joy.

These are cycles we must not disdain, but resign ourselves to. In one thousand years there will be a resurgence of Beethovens, Homers, and Thomas Coles to be appreciated with wistful joy in 1500 years.

In the meantime, LAP UP YOUR ANTIQUITY, BABY!

Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris
Italiam, fato profugus, Laviniaque venit
litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto
vi superum saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram;
multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem,
inferretque deos Latio, genus unde Latinum,
Albanique patres, atque altae moenia Romae.

Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine laeso,
quidve dolens, regina deum tot volvere casus
insignem pietate virum, tot adire labores
impulerit. Tantaene animis caelestibus irae?

[MontrealPianist]

It is a shame but also understandable. I started my first violin lessons at 3 years old and my piano lessons at 4. It took me up until I was 17 to realize how much I loved this type of music and I was submerged by classical by being in advanced schools of music. Now I'm in my 20s and have accepted that I have a passion for it and that there is no greater feeling then to play Liszts Spanish Rhapsody or Beethoven's 32nd Sonata in public.

[Anthina]

Originally posted by jfienen:
Should teachers be able to use a different tatic in teaching the classics. I feel that today generation is losing what the classics are.

Yes I think some of the tactics are wrong. I'm quit young aswell and left school 2 years ago and still I have the feeling I haven't learned a thing about classic. You had to learn about Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn etc. in one hour-and that's it. How can you keep something in that short amount of time? You have to listen to 1 piece of work and then you switch over to the Pop Music and learn about that?!?!?!
Besides that it's not cool to listen to classic music I suppose. Maybe in secret there are more young people who would like classic but they don't know about it or they just think it's not cool enough. Sad but true.I suppose it's also a matter of how you grow up. There's a bigger chance of becoming a classic lover when you grow up in an artsy family than in a working class family.

[This message has been edited by Anthina (edited 12-15-2005).]

[MontrealPianist]

Originally posted by Anthina:

Yes I think some of the tactics are wrong. I'm quit young aswell and left school 2 years ago and still I have the feeling I haven't learned a thing about classic. You had to learn about Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn etc. in one hour-and that's it. How can you keep something in that short amount of time? You have to listen to 1 piece of work and then you switch over to the Pop Music and learn about that?!?!?!
Besides that it's not cool to listen to classic music I suppose. Maybe in secret there are more young people who would like classic but they don't know about it or they just think it's not cool enough. Sad but true.I suppose it's also a matter of how you grow up. There's a bigger chance of becoming a classic lover when you grow up in an artsy family than in a working class family.

[This message has been edited by Anthina (edited 12-15-2005).]

Well said, I may not have lived in an "artsy" family but my parents have always respected arts, especially music. They asked me at three years old if I wanted to play music and I said yes, I want to play the Violin. Unfortunatly, I had a lot of talent but no passion for it so I switched to the piano, I also didnt want a mark on my neck. Anyways, my point is, I got so passionate about it at the end of my teen years, my teachers would rely on me on any type of information. But without being in advanced programms, It would never have happened, which is the case for about 99% of people.