What is "The Essential" Classic Music Compilation?

Trotter

Hi all,

I'm a primary school teacher and while the children are working away on artwork etc, I find they enjoy listening to music in the background.

Im wondering which compilation CD you might direct me to that would have maybe 60 - 90 minutes of the most famous classical music. Maybe focussing on what they might have heard in passing before.. so that I can say "Has anyone heard this before.. Do you know the composer and the name of the piece?" etc.

It would just indirectly plant an awareness of classical music in their minds while they are focussing on other arts based tasks.

I await your expert recommendations! Ideally I'll buy whatever one you recommend this week.

Thanks!

Robbiethe3rd

I dont know about an album but for kids I'd say any sort of programme music eg Vivaldi four Seasons, strauss Thunder & Lightning Polka, Resipighis Light cavalry Overture, William Tell Overture (the above are more well known than you would think). You can find these in some of the tapes for music theory lessons.

Basically anything you can say to them listen to this and see can you hear whatever image the composer is trying to create, its a great way to get them to tune into the different instruments and usually its more appealing than some pure heavy pieces.

funky penguin

This looks good. While there is alot of "filler" that may not be very recognisable, you could condense it yourself as you see fit. That one also has some great modern stuff, like Hans Zimmer's Gladiator sound track.

Actually, you could probably do that with any "Best Classical CD Ever" album. This way, you can taylor the CD to your one ends, and hence be more informed about the pieces when the children start asking questions.

Try downloading a few pieces aswell, here for example. (don't worry, its legal).

Kevster

I have that album that funky penguin mentioned: The Best Classical Album in the World...Ever!. It is very good but a lot of it is pretty boring stuff. CD4 is by far the best in it.

I also have an older verson of this collection which is more concise and better in my opinion: The Best Classical Album in the World... Ever!

Doshea3

I can't find it on Amazon.com, but I have seen a "best ever" type classical collection from Deutsche Grammophon for sale in Tower Records in Wicklow Street. I haven't actually heard it, but I recall it comprises five or so CDs of very good music, and I'd imagine being Deutsche Grammophon the recordings would be of a very high standard. My grandfather used to have the older EMI collection Kevster mentioned, and I must say it is quite a good collection, though there's some bumph on it, as I expect is the case with Deutsche Grammophon's collection.

Also, funky penguin's suggestion of tailoring a collection CD to your own needs is probably the most convenient of them all. For that reason I'd recommend the Deutsche Grammophon one, as you can listen through all five CDs and find your favourites. Plus, I think that one is only about €11.99 to buy, which is nothing considering the amount of music you get (compared to the EMI one, which is two CDs for €19.99).

Hope that helps.

E-Dogg

just play Beethoven's Ninth..... the wont have any faces afterwards and you wont have to teach them again.

its greatness will take of them.