A Lullaby Album for Children and Adults
Carol Rosenberger, piano
KABALEVSKY: A Short Story • TCHAIKOVSKY: My dear little Mother (Mein Mütterlein) • MOZART: Andante from Sonata in C, K. 545 • SCHUMANN: Erinnerung (Remembrance) * Sehr langsam (Very Slowly) * Abendlied (Evening Song) * Schlummerlied (Slumber Song) * Mignon * Des Abends (Evening) • FAURÉ: Berceuse Op. 56 No. 1 • CHOPIN: Prelude Op. 28 No. 7 in A Major * Mazurka Op. 68 No. 2 in A Minor • HAYDN: Adagio from Sonata in F Major, Hob XVI:23 • BACH: Sinfonia V in E-Flat Major * Prelude I in C Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier * Aria in G Major from the Goldberg Variations • SCHUBERT: Andante from Sonata in A Major, Op. 120, D. 664 • BRAHMS: Intermezzo Op. 117 No. 1 • BEETHOVEN: Bagatelle op. 119 No. 11 * Adagio Cantabile from Sonata op. 13 (Pathétique)
“a splendid disc to be treasured by young and old.” —American Record Guide
“The world’s loveliest piano music, beautifully programmed to help people of all ages find an inner core of tranquility.” —Keynote
“the perfect gift among recordings for introducing a child to the intimacies and universality of music… My eight-year-old daughter Rachel recommends it, and I concur.” — Fanfare
Amelia Haygood, our Delos founder, felt that our series for the very young is one of the most important things we have ever done. We began with “Perchance to Dream,” which set the tone for the entire series*.
Amelia and I spent a lot of time and thought on the “Perchance to Dream” program. We wanted it to be the very best music, all with the qualities of simplicity and innocence. We also wanted music that did not require sharp dynamic peaks.
I brought out stacks of piano music, and Amelia and I had planning sessions at the piano. I would play a piece I thought appropriate, and she would say something like “That’s lovely, but not pre-pubertal enough.” We shaped a program of true masterpieces that were indeed “pre-pubertal enough” and yet satisfying and calming to adults as well.
“Perchance” was welcomed for every human situation, beginning with the pre-natal; bringing comfort and beauty to all ages. Amelia and I were both touched by the letters sent to Delos about the album. A number of people wrote that “Perchance” provided solace to the very ill in hospital and hospice.
Amelia wrote, in her introduction to the CD: “Good music, like good books, can provide a haven throughout life — a shelter against the heavy weather that comes to us all. At Delos it is not unusual for artists to receive grateful letters from individuals who have found refuge in the artist’s recorded music when experiencing overwhelming events. We are grateful for these letters. And we are very happy that the writers of these letters had learned to listen to good music at an early age.”
Just last week my nephew Karl sent me a quote from Danielle, a friend of his from school days, about her experiences with “Perchance to Dream” and its sequel:
“I had something I wanted to share with you should you ever pop up on my radar again. So, through all of these years, I never forgot that I had the opportunity to meet your Aunt Carol and how cool I thought it was that she’s a concert pianist.
“I thought you might like to know that in my son’s 5-1/2 years on this planet, he’s probably gone to bed at night fewer than thirty times without listening to one of her CDs. I would say that Nicholas is likely her biggest fan. I forgot to bring the CDs with us to Hilton Head last week and heard an earful because of it! I’d better get that stuff on my iPod STAT.
“I purchased “Perchance to Dream” first when I was going through a particularly rough time in the early 90s and was looking for something to help me relax (short of fist-fulls of Xanax!). I liked it so much that I purchased “Such Stuff as Dreams,” too. When Nicholas was born, I was looking for something other than Disney to play him at bedtime. The rest, as they say, is history.
“Anyway, the next time you speak to her, let her know her #1 fan is a 5-year-old boy in metro Atlanta. She might get a chuckle out of it.”
(Much more than a chuckle, Danielle! Utter delight, in harmony with you and Nicholas.)
We continued the young people’s series with the popular “Baby Needs Mozart.” Soon came “Baby Needs Baroque,” Baby Needs Brahms,” “Baby Needs Beethoven.” And “Baby Needs Bach.” Our aim for the entire “Baby Needs” series (now 11 CDs) was to call parents’ and friends’ attention to the enrichment potential of such music for the very young. Amelia treasured the many comments from parents to the effect that they could experience great music along with their children, having missed the opportunity themselves in schools that had cut out music programs.
At the time our series emerged, there was much in the popular press about brain development and early enrichment. As a former psychologist, Amelia felt that there were some misunderstandings about early brain development. She felt compelled to put her Psychologist hat back on and point out the difference between music and flash cards (or videos). To quote from the piece she wrote at the time:
“Developmental enrichment programs for the very young are important not only to parents but to all who care about our collective future.
“The healing and developmental properties of music have long been recognized. The ancient Greeks believed that music, healing and enlightenment all come from the same source.
“One of music’s properties, rhythm, is as elemental as the mother’s heartbeat. Another of its properties, melody, is first experienced in the loving sounds the infant first hears from its mother.
“Great music is the form of beauty and symmetry that can be experienced before the eyes can focus. Great music is the form of logic and order that can be experienced before the brain can differentiate words, designs or numbers.
“Music is often called the ‘universal language,’ because its truths precede words and transcend words. Music speaks to the entire being, and as such engages the senses, the emotions and the spirit.
“Great music thus becomes a magic potion in a child’s early brain development, an ever- renewable source of enrichment.“
*The Delos Music for Young People series includes:
DE 3079 PERCHANCE TO DREAM / Carol Rosenberger, piano
DE 1605 BABY NEEDS MOZART / Various Artists
DE 1607 THE BEST OF LAGQ / Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
DE 1609 BABY NEEDS BAROQUE / Various Artists
DE 1610 BABY NEEDS BEETHOVEN / Various Artists
DE 1613 BABY NEEDS BACH / Various Artists
DE 1614 BABY NEEDS MORE MOZART / Various Artists
DE 1615 GOOD MUSIC FOR LITTLE GUYS / Various Artists
DE 1618 BABY NEEDS BRAHMS / Various Artists
DE 1619 BABY NEEDS LULLABYS / Carol Rosenberger, piano
DE 1620 BABY NEEDS GUITAR / Various Artists
DE 1621 BABY NEEDS MUSIC / Various Artists
DE 1622 BABY NEEDS BEAUTY / Various Artists
DE 1623 BOYS GOTTA DANCE! / Various Artists
DE 1624 GIRLS GOTTA DANCE! / Various Artists
DE 1625 BABY NEEDS PAPA HAYDN / Various Artists
DE 3230 SUCH STUFF AS DREAMS / Carol Rosenberger, piano
DE 3215 CLASSICAL PRINCESS, Music for Dress-Up / Various Artists