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Jane's Favorites
Classical Music for Children
Below are some (very biased!) suggestions for classical music which your children may
enjoy. Many of these are available at the San Carlos or Belmont libraries. As a general
guide, you may want to begin with music featuring single instruments such as the piano,
violin, flute or recorder. The sound of the harp can also be intriguing to young ears.
Music from the baroque era (Bach, Handel, Scarlatti, Telemann, Vivaldi, Corelli) is always
a good starting place. The music of Mozart remains the "golden standard". Be
sure to pick music which you also enjoy listening to!
CLASSICAL CDs:
 | Hey, Ludwig! (Classical Piano Solos, Ric Louchard, pianist) |
| G’night, Wolfgang! (Classical Piano Solos, Ric Louchard, pianist) |
| Parkening Plays Bach and Music of Handel, Scarlatti, Couperin, et al (guitar) |
| J.S. Bach: Suites and Sonatas (played on guitar by Goran Sollscher) |
| Music of France: Clair de Lune (orchestral) |
| Dances for Orchestra |
| The Mozart Effect: Music for Children, Compiled by Don Campbell |
OTHER CLASSICS
| Chopin, "Preludes" |
| Respighi, "Ancient Airs and Dances" |
| Handel, "Water Music" and "Firework Music" |
| Mozart, "Piano Concerto No. 21," esp. 2nd movement |
| Mozart "Variations on Twinkle" |
| Britten, "Simple Symphony" |
| Warlock, "Capriol Suite" |
| Haydn, "Clock Symphony" and "Surprise Symphony," esp. 2nd movements |
| Dohnanyi, "Variations on a Nursery Rhyme," opus 25 |
| Saint-Saens, "Carnival of the Animals" (orchestral) |
| Grieg, "Melodies and Dances" (recorder and orchestra) |
| Vivaldi, "Violin Concerti" |
| Debussy, "Children’s Corner Suite" |
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MUSIC BASED ON CHILDREN'S STORIES
| Humperdinck, "Hansel and Gretel" (original opera, in English, is available
from the San Mateo Video Library) |
| Ravel, "Mother Goose Suite" (orchestral) |
INTRODUCTION TO ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS:
| Britten, "A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra" |
| Prokofief, "Peter and the Wolf" |
| Tripp and Kleinsinger, "The Adventures of Tubby the Tuba" |
Popular Children's Music
POPULAR ARTISTS
There are many artists who make recordings for children, and each has something a
little different to offer. Below is a list of a few of these artists. Many of their
recordings can be found at local libraries. In parentheses are those tapes that are still
favorites in our house.
| Tom Chapin ("Mother Earth") |
| Charlotte Diamond |
| Greg and Steve |
| Ella Jenkins ("My Street Begins at My House") |
| Lisa Monet ("Circle Time") |
| Hap Palmer |
| Fred Penner |
| Peter, Paul and Mary ("Peter, Paul and Mommy") |
| Raffi ("Bananaphone") |
| Rosenschantz |
THEME-BASED MUSIC
| Annie and the Natural Wonder Band |
(This group has made three separate recordings--one about the jungle and rainforest,
one about the earth, and one about oceans. The tapes are wonderful! You may need to write
to this address to order a cassette: Castle of Dreams; P.O. Box 147; Bedford Hills, N.Y.
10507-0147.)
| The Music of the Planets (produced by Centerstage Productions) |
| Dinosaur Rock |
MUSIKGARTEN TAPES
Musikgarten sells tapes and CD's for children. You may order these recordings by
calling 1-800-216-6864. These are the tapes that I use in my classes.
For ages 1 1/2 to 3
| Sing with Me |
| Clap with Me |
| Play with Me |
| Dance with Me |
For ages 3-5
| The Cycle of Seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) |
For ages 5 to 7
| Music Makers at Home |
(6 separate cassettes and visual aids organized around different natural habitats.)
| Music Makers around the World |
(4 separate cassettes with music from the British Isles, Germany,and the American
Indian and African-American heritage.)
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