The Story of the Orchestra by Robert Levine

We checked out several books about the orchestra last week at the library. Our main curriculum includes music study but it has left me wanting more. I am really a music lover and it just wasn't doing enough for me. Basically, it has had us listening to samples of music from the country we are studying. It has been fun, but at most takes 10 minutes a week.

In the Fall, when I started to feel the need for more, we started learning hymns. I tried to tie it in by choosing a hymn that was connected somehow to the country we were studying. We are learning Amazing Grace now. We write the lyrics out for handwriting practice, listen to different versions of the hymn, and sing along. I can't say I am making them memorize them exactly. Fancy knows them fairly well, Bubby always has to follow along with his paper (and usually has to be encouraged NOT to try to add a drum solo into the hymn), but that's ok.

Anyway, back to the title of this post. We have really been having fun with this book. It comes with a CD with 41 tracks (more than an hour of music). As you read, the book tells you when to play which track. It may be a sample of the composer's music that you are reading about or the sound of a specific instrument you are reading about. It is a great book. I may have to buy this one.

Today we listened to Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Beautiful.

Back to school,
V