Beethoven's Wig, Vol. 2: More Sing-Along Symphonies

Beethoven's Wig (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Beethoven's Wig
• Audio CD (March 16, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rounder / Umgd
• ASIN: B0001I2C8O
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,595 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( P ) > Paganini, Niccolò
  #2 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( S ) > Strauss Jr., Johann
  #4 in	Music > Classical > Symphonies > Romantic

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

From a pure-pleasure standpoint, the first Beethoven's Wig was nothing to flip over, and the second disc in the series follows suit. However, that is not to say that this is not a valuable and possibly ingenious record. Those unfamiliar with the premise will quickly get the picture: Producer/writer/lead singer/chief clever guy Richard Perlmutter gathers a bundle of important classical works (Paganini's "Violin Concerto #2," Strauss' "Blue Danube Waltz") and makes up silly, catchy lyrics to lay over them, informing the listener about the piece or its composer. Standing out for their offbeat brilliance this time are "Dvorak the Czechoslovak" ("Humoresque #7," Dvorak) and "Wow What a Wedding Cake" (Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mendelssohn). Few stabs at mixing education with entertainment succeed so well. As a bonus, the second half of the CD repeats the symphonies straight up, presenting a neat opportunity to quiz kids 5-12 on what and who they've just heard. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the original but better than many others, June 5, 2005

By	Morgan's Mom - See all my reviews

I am a HUGE fan of the original Beethoven's Wig. I think the premise is brilliant: instead of following the tired formula of simply collecting "important" classical pieces into CDs aimed at children, take those pieces and give them clever lyrics for the kids (and their parents) to sing along with. Much of what I liked about the original Beethoven's Wig was the way the lyrics managed to be silly and yet at the same time convey some real information about either the song, the composer or both.

If Beethoven's Wig 2 has a fault, it's simply that it isn't quite as clever or entertaining as the original. First, I think Richard Perlmutter did a better job of selecting the classical pieces for the first disc. More of the songs are upbeat and seem "made" for singing along to. Beethoven's Wig 2 starts out strong with the Light Cavalry March, La donne e mobile and In the Hall of the Mountain King, but the middle of the disc switches gears and seems to lag in comparison to the bright opening. Moreover, the lyrics just aren't as consistently clever in Beethoven's Wig 2. While I love "Stuck in the Saddle Again" and "It's the Same Every Verse," I think several of the other songs (such as "Dvorak The Czechoslovak") try too hard to impart "important" information about the composer at the expense of maintaining the sense of humor and fun that typifies the Beethoven's Wig series. Finally, while the first CD ended with a literal bang ("1812 Overture," aptly re-titled "Tchaikovsky's Cannonball"), the second ends with the Wedding March - a decent enough piece re-titled "Wow What a Wedding Cake," but not nearly the big finish of the first Beethoven's Wig.

Despite all this, I still give Beethoven's Wig 2 four stars simply because I believe it's one of the very best ways to introduce children to classical music and make it an exceptionally enjoyable experience. Kids of all ages will definitely want to hear this disc over and over, and while it might not live up to the incredibly high standards of the first Beethoven's Wig, it's still much better than many of the other children's music CDs out there.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beethoven's Wig 2 Delivers!, April 17, 2004

By	Darren (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

Richard Perlmutter's "Beethoven's Wig 2" is a rare and special type of album. Ostensibly, it is a children's album full of Mr. Perlmutter's sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, often witty, but always-intelligent lyrics, sung over famous classical pieces. The strength of this album, however, lies in its broad appeal and lasting power. "Beethoven's Wig 2" is great for your 5 or 6-year old, who will love Permutter's kid-friendly delivery and engaging stories. However, a 8 or 9-year old child will also love this album, being able to catch many more of Perlmutter's witticisms and puns. As a parent you will love the fact that your children are being exposed to, and more importantly, being engaged by Classical music (the original instrumental performances are also included on this album). As Perlmutter embeds quite a bit of musical history and factoids into many of the songs (i.e. "Dvorak the Czechoslovak" is a fantastic 3-minute summary of the great Czech composers life in America and how it, in part, inspired his famous Humoresque No. 7) you may learn a thing or two about Classical music yourself. Where else can you find an album that is appealing both to you and your children, exposes you to great music, teaches you, and most importantly makes you laugh and smile?

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only 5 Stars! Deserves 10!, March 31, 2004

By A Customer

Only 5 Stars!!! If I could, I'd give Beethoven's Wig 2 ten or more stars! Richard Perlmutter has done it again - this cd is brilliant and has quickly become a beloved cd for our entire family. There is nothing better than listening to my children hum classical music and sing the lyrics to these great masterpieces! Every family should own a copy of this great CD! We can't wait for Beethoven's Wig 3!