tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471857416619574489.post9002164350242290702..comments2024-03-15T07:55:23.083-07:00Comments on Not Another Music History Cliché!: Did Bach raise 20 children? Writing composer biographies for kidsLinda Shaver-Gleasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18113845749216374555noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471857416619574489.post-22401156657516330412017-12-07T14:33:30.970-08:002017-12-07T14:33:30.970-08:00You are absolutely right that these early impressi...You are absolutely right that these early impressions stay with us for the rest of our lives! Like many German children, I grew up with the audio (then tape) series "Wir entdecken Komponisten", and I remember many details and anecdotes. They were targetted as slightly older children, and while the series is resolutely white, male and dead, Bach's evil temper and Beethoven's sad childhood were not glossed over. The combination of musical pieces and biographical narratives / dialogues also worked well to divert the attention towards the music. There must be more sophisticated formats nowadays, but I see that the series is still available: https://www.universal-music.de/wir-entdecken-komponisten/musikBarbara Eichnerhttp://oxfordbrookes.academia.edu/BarbaraEichnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471857416619574489.post-23424461345574661532017-12-07T10:26:09.053-08:002017-12-07T10:26:09.053-08:00I hope that gives you something to start with. I&#...I hope that gives you something to start with. I'm working on compiling more titles, I'll try to remember to share them, as well!Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17310803771319321920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471857416619574489.post-39656242104494441562017-12-07T10:23:32.769-08:002017-12-07T10:23:32.769-08:00The most popular ones I've come across are the...The most popular ones I've come across are the "Getting to Know..." series (for artists and composers). They take a different approach, with lots of cartoon illustrations and silly comics, which can be sensory overload, but the ones that I've read do attempt to present information accurately.<br />https://gettingtoknow.com/Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17310803771319321920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471857416619574489.post-20467706413617636652017-12-07T10:20:37.119-08:002017-12-07T10:20:37.119-08:00My favorite example for a story that truly "c...My favorite example for a story that truly "comes to life," are the Classical Kids stories (Beethoven Lives Upstairs, Hallelujah Handel, Vivaldi's Ring Of Mystery, etc). I would prefer these simply because they are billed as historical FICTION, so, while they introduce the composer, their music, and some historical context, the main characters and the plot are clearly fictitious. The Vivaldi one refers to him teaching at an "orphanage for girls" and Katarina, the fictional main character, does eventually discover that she's related to royalty (she is reunited with her grandfather, a Duke), so this would be a good example of a middle ground, presenting kid-friendly versions of the truth without having to tell your young elementary students about sexual scandals and illegitimate children of the Italian nobility. <br />http://www.classicalkidsnfp.org/shop/Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17310803771319321920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471857416619574489.post-14871206696139242972017-12-07T09:50:43.457-08:002017-12-07T09:50:43.457-08:00Would appreciate being pointed toward specific tit...Would appreciate being pointed toward specific titles that Emily was referring to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com