Today I get to share with you
The Nutcracker from
Maestro Classics. For this review, we received the physical CD copy of the
The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker is a new release from Maestro Classics. It's perfect for ballet lovers, ballet students, families that will be seeing The Nutcracker this holiday season, and of course anyone that loves Tchaikovsky's music. He's one of my favorites. These symphonies and stories are a wonderful way to introduce your children to classical music.
Maestro Classics is a wonderful company that introduces children to great composers and their symphonies. Maestro Classics produces the Stories in Music series. The Stories in Music series is a great way to introduce children to classical music while a story is being told. The music is performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the stories are told in a friendly child like manner. No boring stories here! They provide a wonderful opportunity for parents to help their children learn to love and appreciate the incredible world of classical music. The Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf, Swan Lake, The Tortoise and the Hare, and The Carnival of Animals are just a few of the great stories they offer.
For this review, we received the new release of The Nutcracker. This story was just released on October 7th of this year. We were very excited to be receiving this Cd. You can purchase the Cd from maestro Classics for $16.98. If you prefer, you can purchase an MP3 download for $9.98 instead of the CD. The Nutcracker story is a well loved story. It's a classic at Christmas time. Therese has always loved the story of The Nutcracker. We watch the ballet every year on television. We hope to one day see it in person. Maybe this year...
I'm sure you already knows this, but the The Nutcracker is the charming tale of Clara and Fritz. The story takes place on Christmas Eve. When Herr Drosselmeyer arrives and brings Clara a very special gift, the nutcracker. The night becomes magical event. A sugar plum fairy, a Mouse King, toy soldiers, and a charming nutcracker fill the stage with excitement and adventure.
The Cd is an hour long. Maestro Classics has adapted and condensed the original ballet story for young audiences. The London Philharmonic Orchestra delights listeners with beautiful music. They do a beautiful job! Jim Weiss does an excellent job retelling this classic story. It will delight both young and old. Each CD comes with a small booklet in the case. The book is 24 pages and filled with all types of information. Children will be able to read over the scenes from the story, the history of ballet, learn about musical instruments, and read about Tchaikovsky. They have even included a few puzzles for the children to do.
If you want to add more to the Cd, Maestro Classics offers FREE curriculum guides for their stories. We didn't use this fantastic resource yet, but once Therese's play is over we we will do it this Advent season. I know she will love it!
The even offer some fun coloring pages, puzzles, home projects, and sheet music. These are all free and would add to your child's love of music!
So what did we think.....
I enjoyed the music and the story. Jim Weiss did a great job at reading the story, but he didn't overpower the music. He took pauses in his narrations to allow listeners to appreciate the beautiful symphony of Tchaikovsky. It was a perfect balance between the two. I have always liked the story of The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker just brings back wonderful memories of past Christmases. It brings out that feeling of happiness we all experience during our childhood. Christmas is such a magical time and the story of the Nutcracker just adds to that magical time. Listening to this story will be added to our Christmas holiday traditions.
I think most little girls dream of being in the ballet. I remember dancing around as a child and I know Therese has been dancing in her room too. Therese loved it! She found the story charming and loved the music. It was just the right length to keep her engaged. We listened to it a lot in the car on the way to rehearsal. After 2 weeks, she finally took it out of the car and has been listening to it in her room. It has become a favorite of hers. I'm thinking Swan Lake may be a good stocking stuffer for her for Christmas or maybe a special gift from Saint Nicholas.
Michael on the other hand did not. He loves classical music,has since he was a baby, but he found the story a little too girly for him. He prefers "the darker, deeper sounding classical music." I think he would have liked Peter and the Wolf more.
I highly recommend these stories for any family. I believe if you add this to your library, you will listen to them over and over. These are truly a classic to have in your home!
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Be sure to stop by and check out the others crew member's reviews!
Crew members reviewed Peter and the Wolf and The Nutcracker. I know I'll be stopping by to see what they thought of Peter and the Wolf!
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