Customer Reviews

The Composer Is Dead (Book & CD)

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Remember the days when kids would learn about the different instruments of the orchestra by attending mandatory orchestral performances of Peter and the Wolf? Well, go to bed, old man! Kids today don't have time for stories of wolves and boys and lucky/unlucky duckys. Not them. No, these days to grasp a child's attention fully it takes nothing short of murder. Cold-blooded, tastefully adapted, deeply illustrated murrrrderrrrr (roll them r's about your tongue). A shot has been cast across the brow of old Peter and his dilapidated wolf, and a new author's in town to entice your children with death, woodwinds, and questionable Offenbach references. Yes! Lemony Snicket a.k.a. Daniel Handler a.k.a. that bloke with the accordion (sorry accordion fans: no squeezeboxes in this orchestration) has gone out, written a picture book of a police procedural, found himself a composer of his own (presumably not dead yet), and an orchestra to play on the accompanying CD. There was even an illustrator thrown somehow into the mix. The result is The Composer is Dead, a kind of drawing room murder mystery where a subpar Hercule Poirot attempts to pin the murder of "the composer" on various members of the orchestra. And so, without a bit of musical background to my name, I'll be attempting to review the book and the CD together in one fell swoop. Wish me luck.

Composers compose. Dead composers decompose. And this decomposing composer in particular has caught the interest of the local constabulary. An Inspector is dispatched right quick to interview the suspects, pardon me, the "usual suspects", find the culprit, and haul him or her off to jail. But it is not so easy. Everyone has an alibi, and if they don't have an alibi then they are mighty persuasive. The strings were performing a waltz at the time of the crime. The reed instruments flatter themselves out of suspicion. The trombones were having a drink. One by one everyone is questioned and released until the only logical culprit would have to be the conductor. After all, "wherever there's a conductor, you're sure to find a dead composer." But the orchestra protests en masse, and in the end they admit that while they have all "butchered" a composer or two in their time, they also keep such artists alive forever. An accompanying CD brings this tale to audible life, as the San Francisco Symphony, with Snicket narrating, plays a composition composed specifically for this tale.

To be blunt, this is not a particularly obvious idea for a book. Peter and the Wolf is one of those standards that nobody pays much attention to any more. Sure, schools regularly scoop large numbers of elementary aged children and up and plop them in theaters to listen to the show, but has any child in the history of the world gone on to become a rabid (poor choice of words?) Peter and the Wolf fan? Do they insist on reading every picture book adaptation of the show? Do they want to hear the music again and again? I'm sure that there are some that do this, but for the bulk of them it's not the highlight of their week. But to go out and make your own orchestral/picture book version of the same kind of idea? Frankly, Mr. Handler is the only person who could have even attempted this. You need someone with Snicket/Handler's sway, influence, and musical connections (bonjourno, Mr. Merritt) to be able to wrangle an honest-to-goodness orchestra into shape. To make something like this work you need a popular figure (Lemony Snicket - check) that happens to have a sense of humor (a mention of getting the phone number of "very attractive young sailors" in the text - check) and an ear for what kids like (check and check). I hate to say it, but the reason no one has attempted this before is because nobody had the right qualifications for the job.

Which isn't to say that Mr. Handler doesn't put quite a lot of very swell work into this pup. With all the wit and sly allusions readers have come to expect from A Series of Unfortunate Events, I'm certain that even people who were not fans of that particular series will gravitate to this piece. Honestly, there's only one instance where he shakes the old "a word which here means" out of the mothballs. Maybe two. But you can't help but love the writing. Of course the format follows the standard Agatha Christie route where a detective questions a bunch of suspects in a singularly civilized manner, trying to winkle out a murderer's confession. The fact that this particular Inspector is utterly incompetent (elegant moustache aside) is beside the point. And while kids may need to have the explanation that orchestras have been butchering composers for years explained to them, why bother? It makes sense either way. Older kids who get it will be pleased. And younger ones will end up attending concerts for some time under the distinct impression that the people there are all bloodthirsty killers. It's win-win!

Which brings us to the illustrations. I have some bad news here. I was not a huge fan. Carson Ellis made a name for herself illustrating the album covers for bands like The Decemberists. She later went on to do book jackets for titles like Trenton Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society. Ellis's style is distinctive. It involves thin lines and watercolor washes that utilize a lot of grays, browns, roses, and watered down blues. I've little doubt that there are picture books out there that would pair with her strengths beautifully, but this book was not one of them. In this setting Ellis's colors are almost too muted to serve the story well. Scenes that are meant to contain lots of crazy movement and dancing, as with the swing dancing section, don't feel like they contain a lot of movement. The figures are stagnant, and sometimes utterly baffling. There is one pairing of a man with a woman upside down on his left arm that left me squinting and blinking several times in search of his head. Then, inexplicably, that same pairing reoccurs later when the Inspector is rounding up the alibis. I do not think that the pictures detract too terribly from the rest of the book, but they weren't an ideal pairing and, if this book catches on as much as I hope it will, I'm certain they won't be the last.

With the given understanding that my orchestral familiarity begins and ends with my six year stint in various middle school and high school orchestras (I was a second violin and therefore, according to this book, "more fun at parties"), I will attempt to critique Nathaniel Stookey's orchestrations as found here. Yes. So. Sounded good? Sounded good. Actually I did have a question or two about the choices he made. For example, was it utterly necessary to end the piece on such a benign note? I would have assumed from reading the book that the ending would build and build and build until you reached a veritable crescendo with the words, "But those who want something a little more interesting . . . should go to the orchestra!" Which isn't to say that I didn't like the music as a whole. I loved the threatening horns whenever the dead composer's unchanging dead-like state was mentioned. I liked how well the various orchestrations were combined when the Inspector summarizes everyone's alibis. I loved the music during the litany of dead composers of the past. I just wished for a bigger bang at the end, I guess.

Recently a variety of vocal recordings of famous authors were released. Some authors matched their works. Others, like Arthur Conan Doyle, didn't. And Daniel Handler's voice? Initially you'd perhaps find it unexpected. The audiobook version of A Series of Unfortunate Events had actor Tim Curry read the tales, and that's about what you'd think Mr. Handler would sound like. Instead, his voice takes a minute or two to get used to. You have to ease into it, as one does a hot bath. Once you get comfortable, however, his narration acts as the perfect complement to the story (which is right). Be sure to pay close attention to the narrated portions of the CD in their entirety because there's quite a bit of additional dialogue and small off-the-cuff asides to enjoy. Particularly when the narrator starts to get a bit peckish. The first half of the recording is words and music. The second half, music alone.

Owing no particular allegiance to boys, wolves, and their Russian composers, I would love to see orchestras across this great country of ours merrily adapting this story and this music to their usual concert repertoires. And as for the book itself, without considering its larger ramifications and applications, it's quite strong. As I've said, the art wasn't what I would have picked for it, but it doesn't really detract. The words are hilarious, as per usual, and the accompanying CD ideal for long car trips, bedtime fare, or just sitting about the living room. A great idea that may play itself out for far longer than picture books can usually hope for.

This book is amazing! My friend who is a music teacher and I were listening to a review of this book on NPR when it caught our interest. On a subsequent trip to Target, we found this book. Upon finding said tome, we proceeded to excitedly read aloud its contents. My favorite part is where the woodwinds use flattery to deflect the blame. My friend's? The decomposing pun. If a book can entertain two grown women in the middle of Target... imagine the possibilities! Needless to say, it is firmly ensconced in her classroom repertoire. Enjoy!

I have been a huge Lemony Snicket fan for awhile now, and I was also a music major in college, so when I heard about this book, I was very excited. I just got the book today and have already listened to the CD three times (and it's about 30 minutes long)! Every time I have been laughing out loud so hard! Lemony Snicket's voice really adds to the story, and the music is very fun. (I especially like the trombone/percussion music.) Since the music and narration add so much, I don't know if I'll read the story by itself very much or even read along with the CD at all because it's so good by itself. I think many people would like this book, but if you don't know instrument stereotypes or don't have a little knowledge of some composers, you might miss some of the humor. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has been in a band or orchestra or likes classical music or Lemony Snicket.

If you are familiar with the series, A Series of Unfortunate Events, then you know all about Lemony Snicket's fondness for using big words and providing definitions. The Composer is Dead follows in the same way: "'Composer' is a word which here means a person who sits in a room muttering and humming and figuring out what notes the orchestra is going to play." There's also plenty of Lemony Snicket's dry humor: "...the Composer was not muttering. He was not humming. He was not moving, or even breathing. This is called decomposing."

The Composer is Dead, while a bit wordy for a picture book, does a fine job of introducing the reader to the various sections of an orchestra. The murder mystery aspect of the book is a neat concept. Who but Lemony Snicket would have thought of such a thing?

The CD that came with the book is very well done. The music that is played with Lemony Snicket's narrative of the book gives the listener an auditory lesson of all of the instruments in an orchestra and adds to the drama.

You may be wondering why I have given this book only three stars after all of the positive things I have to say about it. Unfortunately, it failed miserably in my kid test. Both of my children, ages five and eight, thought this book was boring. I think it was just too long, with too many words, and a story line that didn't hold their interest. Also, the illustrations were done in shades of brown, grey, black, and red. While they added to the somber mood of the book, they didn't capture the interest of my children. I will say that my kids did enjoy the CD slightly more, but half way through, they began getting antsy.

That said, I still think this is a book you would want to check out at the library. If your kids like it, then purchase it. If nothing else, your kids will get an education about orchestras. And that makes it worth the read.

Move over "Peter and the Wolf", move over "Walt Disney's Introduction to the Orchestra", Lemony Snicket has produced the BEST introduction to the instruments of the orchestra--EVER! This is a MUST for every elementary music teacher, every orchestra dieector, from the smallest to the greatest. This work should become part of the repertoire of every major orchestra, especially the great ones. One of the FUNNYEST works I have ever read or heard! A CLASSIC, which will spread troughout the English-speaking world. BUY it! You will LOVE it! "The Composer is Dead".

"There is dreadful news from the symphony hall - the composer is dead!"

This is a wonderful book full of mystery, humor...and musical instruments! What a fun way to get children (or adults, for that matter!) interested in classical music.

This is classic Lemony Snicket humor in the form of an intriguing murder mystery. Each instrument in the symphony is a suspect, but each has an alibi! Musicians will appreciate the humor in the stereotypes of each instrument in the orchestra, and anyone (musicians or non-musicians alike) will enjoy reading this charming book.

I loved the illustrations. The style and colors used seemed to fit the mood of a murder mystery very well.

The book also includes an audio CD featuring Lemony Snicket reading the book aloud, accompanied by the San Francisco Symphony performing music composed by Nathaniel Stookey. The music is so fun, with different themes to go along with the different instruments and parts of the book. It is definitely reminiscent of Peter & the Wolf Disney Favorite Stories.

This awesome book is a must-read! I am a music teacher and a mother, and I will definitely have this book and CD in my library.

I remember spending hours as a child listening to a recording of Benjamin Britten's "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra," a wonderful road map to the orchestra's sections and instruments that, I still believe, is partially responsible for my later decision to learn the viola. Now Lemony Snicket (of A Series of Unfortunate Events fame) has put his own unmistakably snarky stamp on the symphony orchestra with THE COMPOSER IS DEAD, an introduction to the orchestra in the guise of a murder mystery.

When a composer turns up dead, a nattily dressed, supremely confident inspector is called into the case, determined to find the perpetrators "wherever they are lurking" in the orchestra. He interrogates the subjects by section, beginning with the strings (both "the First Violins, who have the trickier parts to play, and the Second Violins, who are more fun at parties"), continuing through the sneaky woodwinds, the brass (who play "in a boisterous manner," a phrase here that means "loudly and with a certain arrogant rudeness") and concluding with the percussion, who employ "xylophoniness and cymbalism." Finally, he makes an arrest --- only to be foiled by the orchestra itself, united at last.

As you can probably tell, especially if you've read any of Snicket's other works, THE COMPOSER IS DEAD is hardly a straightforward primer to the symphony. Almost every section --- including my beloved viola section, the butt of many an orchestra joke --- becomes a target of Snicket's acerbic wit. Adult readers, especially those who have played an orchestra instrument, will recognize that in many cases Snicket is lampooning not only the instruments but also the type of people who play them, from the party-loving trombones to the homebody tuba.

Despite (or maybe because of) the heavy overlay of humor, Snicket's guide is still a valuable and credible guidebook for kids who are just learning about the orchestra or who are preparing to attend their first concert. The book works well on its own, but it's especially valuable in conjunction with the impressively intricate and playful score (performed on an accompanying CD by the San Francisco Symphony, with and without narration provided by the author) written by young composer Nathaniel Stookey. Snicket, Stookey and illustrator Carson Ellis (probably best known for her album artwork for The Decemberists) make a wonderful team, working together to make a satisfying, delightful and enjoyably educational package --- kind of like the orchestra itself.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

"The Composer Is Dead" is a wonderful addition to the literature of introductions to the orchestra such as "Peter and the Wolf", "Carnival of the Animals" and Benjamin Britten's "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra". The story is delightfully read by the author and the music is dramatic and interesting. The story is beguiling and offers sophistication to adults. My seven-year old granddaughter fell in love with it and made me take the CD on every car trip during our recent visit. I am purchasing it for every child in my life from 5-50! S. Kaplan

We love attending symphonies and other musical performances. We also have musically talented children and grandchildren. When we saw this book and CD we felt like it was one of those treasures we wanted to share with various family members. So we bought 4! One for us, of course, one for our college age son (music performance major), and 8 and 6 year old grands! We were not disappointed. This combination is a hit with all ages of US.

I heard an interview on NPR with Lemony himself and was captivated by the composer's decomposing! Ordered it immediately and listened/read as soon as it arrived. What a wonderful, silly great introduction to the orchestra for little kiddos. I can't wait to hear what my little kiddos think of it.