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Children's Video/DVD Review:
The
A to Z Symphony: Music Appreciation 101 |
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Classical Fun Music
Released: 2004
Reviewed: July 2004
Our Recommended Age:
1-5
Our Rating: A
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This
simple but effective video/DVD cycles through each letter of
the alphabet as classical musicfrom Beethoven to Vivaldiplays
and children are treated to demonstrations of words that
begin with each letter. It's a fun (and educational)
sampling of fine classical music, and offers plenty of
opportunities to both increase vocabulary and develop letter
recognition skills.
Beethoven's
Moonlight Sonata supports beautiful aerials of the planet
Earth and a view of the spinning globe in the "E is for Earth"
vignette. The lively, almost frenzied, Russian Dance by
Tchaikovsky plays as children demonstrate the word
"jump" in the letter J vignette. Flags, fountains, and
fireworks in the letter F demonstration are fittingly set to
the dramatic Tchaikovsky's The 1812 Overture.
What is
extra special about this video is that each classical music
excerpt is clearly named, and the letters of the alphabet
"stick" to the screen throughout each vignette.
Words in capital letters for each demonstrated word appear
as well. There is no special effort made to actually teach
letter recognition (such as the little lessons in videos
like So Smart Letters,
for example), but that's not exactly what this video is
about. The A to Z Symphony is mostly designed to
encourage children to appreciate music, and that it does
very well! The addition of letters and opportunities to
learn a little about the world around us are simply added
bonuses. Very cute!
The DVD
edition allows viewers to select vignettes (each of the 26
vignettes run for one minute) letter by letter, if
desired.
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