Opera, as a genre of classical music, was new to my children. The Italian word “aria” simply means “air.” In music, an aria is a long song, usually in an opera, with a soloist singing. Learning to recognize the rhythm of a waltz is wonderful fun for small children.Īfter Chester plays Blue Danube Waltz in Chapter 10, he hears Italian folk songs and a group of operatic arias. Listen to the waltz and see if you can pick out the melody and hum it with your child.Ī waltz is a piece of music composed in a triple meter with a strong accent on the first beat. The melody is the main part of a musical composition, in contrast with the supporting harmony and rhythm. He learns to play variations of the theme without ever losing the rhythm of the waltz. In Chapter 10: The Dinner Party, Chester hears Blue Danube Waltz on the radio, and discovers his talent for memorizing the melody. We didn’t sit down and have a lesson on each of these concepts, but we discussed them as they came up and as we listened to the music in a natural way. I also put together some notes on some of the musical pieces and terminology that we explored. We have an Amazon Echo and several Echo Dots throughout our house that we use to play music during meals, while we’re doing handcrafts, or just playing. If you don’t have Prime, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial HERE, what are you waiting for?! If you have Amazon Prime, you can hear the music HERE. I put together an Amazon prime playlist with pieces of music from the book that we listened to during the several weeks it took us to read the book together. I couldn’t find one, which brings me to this post! Cricket In Times Square Music PlaylistĪs we read the book and kept coming across great pieces of music or musical terms, I wanted a resource so that we could talk about those after each chapter. Even though we’re on summer break, The Cricket in Times Square offers the perfect opportunity to listen and learn about some well-known pieces of music and musical styles. Though I don’t play anymore, I definitely want my children to know how important music is to our peaceful home life.Īs part of our homeschool, we study a different composer each term. I spent many years in band all the way through college and even played professionally at a theme park for a summer. I have a heart for beautiful music, and hope to pass on a love and appreciation of music to my children. The music flows through the chapters in a beautiful way, adding to each scene as we see how music can affect people in deep, profound ways. Music Is Good For The SoulĬhester cricket’s musical talent has him playing everything from opera to hymns to Italian folk songs. Perhaps even more so because we’ve actually been to Times Square and been down to the subway stations, but the story is engaging and sweet even if you haven’t. My 4 year old and 6 year old both enjoyed this story immensely. His musical talents make him and the Bellinis famous, but Chester cricket learns an important lesson about happiness. He quickly makes friends with a cat and mouse and the Bellini family who runs a newsstand in the subway station. The story follows a cricket who unexpectedly finds himself away from his home in the meadows of Connecticut and in the Times Square subway station. With sketch illustrations by Garth Williams, this book is a childhood classic not to miss. The Cricket in Times Square by George Seldon was published in 1960 and is a Caldecott Honor Book. We just finished reading The Cricket in Times Square as our family read aloud book, and I’m shocked I don’t remember this from my childhood. It’s always surprising how many great books are out there still to discover! The Cricket in Times Square Playlist & Music Study I grew up in a family of bibliophiles, and was an avid reader from the start.
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