I have been asked to suggest \u2018soothing\u2019 music that could be played whilst a baby or very young child is in the room. Quite a challenge. (The friend who asked me agreed when I said that most of the music I enjoy tends to be loud!) The trouble with much classical music is that there are so many dynamic changes within a single piece, that it\u2019s impossible to maintain a consistent level of volume, and no parent or nanny can cope with constantly dashing to the controls every time the sound goes up, or down. But here are a few suggestions.<\/p>\n
The symphonies of Haydn are mostly gentle and amiable and even in the vigorous movements, if you keep the volume low this might be a civilising experience for the growing child. Elgar collected some of the music composed when he was very young, and out of it created two collections called the \u2018Wand of Youth Suites\u2019 ; there are some lovely tunes there, some more lively than others. I am fond of the piano music of Gabriel Faure, and Kathryn Stott has recorded many of his pieces. The piano duet \u2018The Dolly Suite\u2019 \u2013 which he later orchestrated- is particularly attractive. Similarly Ravel\u2019s tuneful \u2018Mother Goose Suite\u2019 might be suitable.<\/p>\n
Some of Delius\u2019s music has a quiet lyricism that a baby would enjoy. Written when he was working in his father\u2019s Caribbean plantation, his \u2018Florida Suite\u2019 contains some sprightly, flowing music. \u2019The Walk to the Paradise Garden\u2019 and similar works \u2013 no longer much in favour these days \u2013 wouldn\u2019t tax a young mind. Acoustic guitar music can often provide a gentle background and I see there is a Naxos disc played by Norbert Kraft called \u2018Guitar Favourites\u2019 (8.553999). Mozart piano concertos would be a good bet (for me No.17 is the loveliest), and there is another Naxos disc recently issued, \u2018Mozart for Meditation\u2019 (8.557651) which could be just the job.<\/p>\n
And then of course, there is Tchaikovsky. Whilst he can do the decimals in full force, there is some lovely music in the \u2018Nutcracker\u2019 Suite and in some of his smaller piano pieces, as well as the orchestral \u2018Capriccio Italian\u2019. Schubert\u2019s six Moments Musicaux and his Impromptus for piano are lovely, preferably played by the great Alfred Brendel. Vaughan- Williams is for me an uneven composer, but his work \u2018The Lark Ascending\u2019 is simply beautiful beyond words.<\/p>\n
The best answer to my friend\u2019s need is probably to browse in a music shop amongst some of the compilation CD\u2019s which gather together music suitable for a particular mood.<\/p>\n
B.R.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I have been asked to suggest \u2018soothing\u2019 music that could be played whilst a baby or very young child is in the room. Quite a challenge. (The friend who asked me agreed when I said that most of the music I enjoy tends to be loud!) The trouble with much classical music is that there are so many dynamic changes within a single piece, that it\u2019s impossible to maintain a consistent level of volume, and no parent or nanny can cope with constantly dashing to the controls every time the sound goes up, or down. But here are a few <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"yoast_head":"\n