Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music! [Hardcover]

Robert Levine (Author), Meredith Hamilton (Illustrator), Robert T. Levine (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Eye-catching illustrations, engaging text and delightful musical selections on the accompanying 70-minute CD lead children ages 8 to 12 (and parents, too!) on an exciting and educational tour through the instruments and music of the orchestra. Illustrated in exquisite and colorful detail with over 100 original drawings and photographs, this package is a fun and exciting musical journey for children.

The engaging text is broken into three sections: an introduction to each instrument of the orchestra from the cello to the timpani, the stories of famous composers from Bach to Stravinsky and an explanation of different musical styles from Baroque to Modern. Each step of the way, children can listen to actual musical examples of what they are learning about. Young readers will hear the sound of an actual violin as they study the instrument and enjoy the playful tune of a Mozart minuet as they read about the composer's precocious exploits as a child.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-8-Orchestra Bob guides readers through a delightful musical journey. The book is divided into two major parts: composers from Vivaldi to Bernstein and their associated musical periods, and the instruments of the orchestra. There are interesting and sometimes humorous bits of information about the men, their music, and corresponding historical events. The last two pages introduce the conductor. Quotations, boxed definitions, and the captions that accompany the colorful photos and spot cartoon drawings enhance the instructive text. In some places, however, the drawings are in stark contrast to the photos and take away from the overall appearance of a page. An accompanying CD provides musical selections for readers to listen to at specific places in the text. These selections are short enough to keep young listeners' attention. Although some well-known figures, such as Handel, Schubert, and Strauss, are missing, this is a fun way to travel through the world of music.

Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-7. Orchestra Bob--a dapper figure in a dove-gray tux--introduces young people first to the development and history of orchestral music and a number of famous composers and then to the instruments of the orchestra by section. Each page or two is keyed to a brief selection on an accompanying CD that illustrates the musical idea or instrument discussed. Text and images are extremely lively: the drawings are whimsical and often amusing; the photographs of the individual instruments are clear and clearly labeled. Text rarely extends for more than a paragraph or two before a box, a quote, or a related comment appears, making the pages very inviting. Children will absorb how various instruments are held and played. Levine relates the sound and sense of music in ways children will respond to easily: a quote describes the double bass as sounding like chocolate. The CD excerpts are crisply presented--one would wish to know who recorded them. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers (October 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579121489
• ISBN-13: 978-1579121488
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 10.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Crafts & Music > Music

More About the Author

Robert Levine is an internationally-known music writer whose work has appeared in dozens of publications. He is Senior Editor of ClassicsToday.com, a worldwide web-site devoted to classical music. He is the author of many of the texts in the Black Dog Opera Library, as well as The Story of the Orchestra. He lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes classical music accessible for young children!, August 4, 2005

By 

L. Johnson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music! (Hardcover)

A wonderful resource! After a recent visit to our symphony, my 5-year-old son wanted to know more about "the big thing with strings." With this book and CD, he has learned about the bass and so many more instruments. Two-page spreads complete with photos describe each of the main orchestral instuments and are keyed to musical selections on the CD highlighting that instrument. The combination of both seeing and hearing the instrument has fascinated my son, and he now likes to listen to the classical radio station and try to identify the instruments he hears. The CD is also lovely as background music during our day.

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Musical enthusiasm leaps off each page., May 5, 2005

By 

MovedbyMusic - See all my reviews

This review is from: Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music! (Hardcover)

The enthusiasm for classical music without ever getting high-brow leaps off the pages of this book. Noting a few classical composers, conveying facts on how an instrument is held, how it sounds and where it fits into its niche in the orchestra are the strongest features of this book. The cd is weak but it works.

This book is for kids somewhat older and even adults really, it's a thicker book but no less colorful than "Meet the Orchestra" by Ann Hayes and Karmen Thompson which is a perfect complement to "Story of the Orchestra" but "Meet the Orchestra" is definitely for younger kids in primary grades.

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book even for small children, June 16, 2005

By 

Lala Mamedov (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music! (Hardcover)

Reading three chapters from this book is our new bedtime ritual with my 5 year old daughter. And in the morning, she repeats everything she heard to her grandma and grandpa. The book is well-written, informative and entertaining, and the music samples are a great introduction to the classical masterpieces.