Adventure stories, sometimes hairy, sometimes Atlantic
Two successful CDs for children: "Struwwelpeter - a (hairy) story" performed by a quartet from the Basel Chamber Orchestra and "Rubato and the wild ship's orchestra" by Musique Simili.
Parents have to be, but they are not always the best advisors. There are helicopter fathers and mothers, there are doubters and worriers who sometimes deprive their children of their own experiences. This is what comes to mind when you listen to the wonderful CD Struwwelpeter - a (hairy) story listens. Four members of the Basel Chamber Orchestra have often played history and music in classrooms.
The children's book Struwwelpeter by the psychologist Heinrich Hoffmann was published in 1845. Hoffmann originally intended it as a Christmas present for his three-year-old son. But lo and behold, by the time the author died, the book had already sold 950,000 copies and become an evergreen. Who doesn't know them, the sometimes cruel Tales of the Soup Punch, from Hanns peek-in-the-air or from the Thumbsucker?
Eva Miribung (violin), Georg Dettweiler (violoncello), Konstantin Timokhine (horn) and Jan Wollmann (trumpet) not only tell stories. They also choose and play the music with great taste. Story of the evil Friederich excerpts from the sombre cello concerto by Dmitri Shostakovich. The story of the black boys accompanied by tongue-in-cheek reggae and ska rhythms. To the Fidgety Philipp the quartet intones chamber music arrangements of passages from Richard Strauss' Till Eulenspiegel's funny pranks.
Parents and their admonitions come off badly on the CD. Hanns looks up in the air, but the parents - no better - stubbornly look at their cell phones. At least that's what the children say, who also have their say. Their refreshing comments show that the parents don't need to worry about the potential cruelty of the stories. Perhaps they shouldn't put them on for a four-year-old to fall asleep to. But for all children from first to fourth grade, it's a great CD, especially musically educational. "Scary, but exciting," comments one girl The sad story of the lighter.
A quartet of the Basel Chamber Orchestra sings and plays Struwwelpeter, a (hairy) story. Solo Musica SM 355
Rubato is an elastic term. This time it is not a performance instruction, but the name of the boy who sets off as a stowaway on the Santa Helena - the ship that will set sail for Buenos Aires. As an accordion player who is Rubato, he can of course hardly imagine a more attractive place than the Argentinian capital, "where the dance of all dances is danced".
So the tango takes center stage. But there is not just a tango on the keyboard or a tango finale, but a colorful bouquet with waltz or Csárdás elements or with song additions by Franz Schubert. All this music is beautifully interwoven with the story told by Stella Hänsenberger and created by Zurich poet Rainer Frei. Rubato meets Sordina, the violinist of the wild ship's orchestra. After all the quarrels with Capitano Spavento, Rubato is finally allowed to play in the wild ship's orchestra - and it gets even better ...
Erlach-based Edition Simili presents a great children's CD with a beautifully cardboard and illustrated cover. The target age group of around four to seven years old will not usually be able to do much with the illustrated sheet music. But perhaps the parents can play a little bedtime encore?
Rubato and the wild ship's orchestra. Story by Rainer Frei; drawings by Juliette Du Pasquier; music by Marc Hänsenberger; Musique Simili. Audio book with or without CD. Edition Simili
