Comments on: Baby Mozart, and Massanet, and Meyerbeer?

Question: Baby Mozart, and Massanet, and Meyerbeer?

notquitemaryann — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:16:11 -0800

A little something for my biggest fan... seeking ideas for classical songs that I can sing and record for my 19-month-old nephew.

I'd like to do a series of recordings to send to my sister in cd and mp3 format as gifts for my wee nephew, Ben. I'm thinking I will probably save folk songs and modern music for when he's a bit older and may be more interested in singing along. What are some classical vocal pieces in various styles and languages (suitable for lullabies or playtime music, nothing too bombastic) that will help give him an early familiarity with good music? I'm more or less a mezzo with a wide range, though the lower the better on the lullabies, as the deeper notes seem to be very soothing to him. On his last visit, he enjoyed Solveig's Song, L'amour est une vertu rare, and Ombra mai fù.

By: notquitemaryann

notquitemaryann — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:17:12 -0800

Augh, it's late- Massenet.

By: amyms

amyms — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:29:46 -0800

Well, it's not classical, but it's suitable for a lullaby, and timely too (and since your nephew's name is Ben)... Michael Jackson's Ben.

By: aquafortis

aquafortis — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:00:22 -0800

Gabriel Fauré had quite a few beautiful songs... I can't think of a better selection than the Souzay/Ameling set from EMI.

By: Kimothy

Kimothy — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:06:00 -0800

So, I'm having more luck thinking of things I liked as a kid, that weren't actually classical, but I'll pass them along anyway just in case...

Edelwiess - This was my absolute favorite to hear my mom sing.
(My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean was another great favorite, but I had a hard time finding a good video to show you.)
Simple Gifts - this Shaker traditional is pretty widely played by classical performers.
Try to Remember - From the Fantastiks
Lavender Blue

By: phrontist

phrontist — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:21:07 -0800

Bach's Prelude in C (BWV 846) with Ave Maria. You could sing the part performed by the violin in that video.

By: ceri richard

ceri richard — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:43:04 -0800

What a lucky nephew!

Seconding Fauré, adding Joseph-Marie Canteloube's arrangement of a traditional brezairola (lullaby). Barbra Streisand's Classical album has some beautiful tracks that all of the children in our family loved from an early age.

Oh and Inch Worm!

By: skenfrith

skenfrith — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:13:51 -0800

Song of India, from Rimsky-Korsakov's Sadko - a calm piece in the lower range.
In questi estreme istanti, from Rossini's Maometto II - a beautiful bel canto aria of three voices if you can grab two fellow vocalists to record with you.
Io ti lascio, oh cara, addio, from Mozart's Concert Aria K. 255 - transposed to contralto range
Suo Gân, a Welsh lullaby

By: Bardolph

Bardolph — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 02:45:43 -0800

He Shall Feed His Flock (aria from the Messiah) is very soothing and lullaby-like.

Likewise Laudate Dominum, from Mozart's Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore.

By: alona

alona — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:11:25 -0800

Seriously, I think Amazing Grace is one of the more beautiful tunes.

By: fearnothing

fearnothing — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:55:45 -0800

Seconding Suo Gân - absolutely gorgeous music.
I'm guessing that this is going to have to be solo stuff, or I'd suggest a couple of beautiful duets.

further to phrontist's remark, the specific version you are looking for is Gounod's setting of the prelude.

You could also look into Schubert's Lieder, I don't know much of the female-voice stuff but the male voice songs are fantastic.

By: teraspawn

teraspawn — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:01:31 -0800

I don't think you can go far wrong with Panis Angelicus - oh and I've always been a fan of Rutter's arrangement of All Things Bright and Beautiful. And for around Christmas time, Warlock's The First Mercy is pretty soothing, too.

By: palliser

palliser — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 07:31:49 -0800

O Can Ye Sew Cushions

How Lovely Is They Dwelling Place, Brahms' Requiem

Ave Verum Corpus, Mozart (though potentially much of the beauty lies in the chords, so maybe not as good for unaccompanied solo voice)

By: lysimache

lysimache — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 07:37:25 -0800

Seconding Canteloube: I really like the lullaby "Per l'èfon" (Soun soun, minou minaúno), from the Chants d'Auvergne. Dawn Upshaw has a lovely version of it on the second volume of her recording of the songs, with Kent Nagano conducting. (I cannot for the life of me find a video/audio file of anyone performing it online.) In fact, there's probably lots of songs a child would enjoy in there that aren't lullabies. I'm very partial to "Là-haut, sur le rocher," not least of which because it's in standard French and so easier to understand than the dialect/Occitan ones. :) The most famous is the "Baïlèro" (here sung by Netania Devrath).

Perhaps I was a weird child, but I really loved Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater." My favorite was the "Quae Maerebat" movement, with the "Eia Mater" as a runner-up.

Unfortunately it's a duet, but I also absolutely *loved* Bach's "Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten", No. 2 from Cantata BWV 78 (Der du meine Seele). I'm probably remembering more about age 7/8, though, than 19 mos.

A bit morbid, but "When I Am Laid in Earth," by Purcell (from Dido and Aeneas) has a lovely soothing quality that can be lullaby-ish. I could also imagine a child really enjoying the bit about the snakes dropping from Alecto's head in "Music for a While" (performed a bit more vigorously than in that version). (I really liked jaunty things with lots of fun runs as a kid, obviously!)

By: foooooogasm

foooooogasm — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:47:50 -0800

Core Nome from Rigoletto, best done with muppets.

By: Pennyblack

Pennyblack — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:37:23 -0800

Check out the songs Joanie Bartels does.
She really understands what children respond to.

By: notquitemaryann

notquitemaryann — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:26:21 -0800

These are fantastic. Thank you all so much!