Beethoven for Babies: Brain Training for Little Ones

Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Neville Marriner (Conductor), Frans Brüggen (Conductor), Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century (Orchestra), Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Orchestra), Bruno Canino (Performer), Bella Davidovich (Performer), Zoltán Kocsis (Performer), Claudio Arrau (Performer), Sviatoslav Richter (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Bruno Canino, Bella Davidovich, Zoltán Kocsis, Claudio Arrau, Sviatoslav Richter
• Orchestra: Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
• Conductor: Neville Marriner, Frans Brüggen
• Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
• Audio CD (August 11, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B000009OU6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,673 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > Classical > Instruments > Reeds & Winds > Flute
  • #5 in Music > Classical > Ballets & Dances > Ballets
  • #5 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Sonatas > Sonatinas

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

For the parent looking to ease their child into a familiarity with classical music, this is a very well chosen set of Beethoven works. It begins with a generous selection of airs composed late in the composer's life. The presence of the flute as the lead instrument on these selections has a soothing quality that moves the ear in an ideally subtle way, especially as it gives way to the more excited piano sonata pieces. Zoltán Kocsis's reading of "Pathétique" is followed by Claudio Arrau's take on the 7th, 15th, and 18th sonatas and Sviatoslav Richter's lyrical take on the 20th ("Pastoral"). Programmed amidst the piano pieces, which are great studies in dynamics and musical spacing, are some fine orchestral snippets, none longer than five minutes. The collection does a fine balancing act, condensing works that don't inherently lend themselves to shortened renditions and carefully managing moods, entry, and egress to each segment. This is fine anthology work. --Andrew Bartlett

Product Description

No Description Available.
Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 11-AUG-1998

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best baby classical tunes for your buck!, March 3, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Alabama, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beethoven for Babies: Brain Training for Little Ones (Audio CD)

This is one of the longest running CD's in the collection of classical music for babies. Others contain music running half the time of this one. For the most part, the music is upbeat - I'd recommend it for "awake time." Entertaining for all ages and will be a favorite even after baby is grown. I listen to it while still pregnant and enjoy it over all others I've bought.

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, February 7, 2002

By 

Merrilee Mcmurray "mrsmootz" (Sparks, NV, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beethoven for Babies: Brain Training for Little Ones (Audio CD)

Although the CD covers a lot of Beethoven's music, the piano player in the first seven tracks is horrible. He or she keeps hitting the wrong notes. The tempo of the music overall is too fast and for some reason, they stopped "Ode to Joy" right in the middle. If you want a CD that features excellent musicians and Beethoven's music played the way it should be, don't buy this CD. Invest in the soundtrack from the movie, "Immortal Beloved".

47 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Buy this CD for the lovely music, but not for babys brain, December 7, 1999

By 

Buddy (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beethoven for Babies: Brain Training for Little Ones (Audio CD)

There is lovely music on this CD. It's too bad that they had to package it under the pretense that it is somehow going to make your baby smarter. If this music helps you relax or creates a feeling of enjoyment then it is worth owning. The so called "Mozart Effect" collapses under scrutiny. Repeated efforts have been unable to reproduce most of it's effects. The ones that were reproduced only lasted for about 15 minutes after hearing the music. It was NEVER shown to have any effect what so ever on babies, it was tested on college students. If you are buying this CD to make your baby smarter I suggest buying a book and reading to them. If you are buying this CD to expose your baby to the rich culture of music, by all means....enjoy!