Clasic Warner Brothers cartoons are scored with tons of classical music...
Classical Ping
1812 Overture with cannon
“The standard repertoire of “Concert Music” is music written primarily by dead Euro-males between roughly 1650 and 1900.”
Wrong. It was written by extraordinary musical geniuses. This gramscian “race, classic, and gender” rubbish is tedious.
The American Classical Orchestra in NYC caters to kids. It’s a neat organization, and good client of mine.
I think film soundtracks got me interested in orchestral music. Plus some of the Rock from the 70s like Rick Wakeman and Emerson, Lake amd Palmer.
Put on the 1812 Overture when the baby comes home! BLAST it like my Dad did!
btw, classical was the ONLY music in my home growing up. Well, at least until Dad came home from work!
While the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony receives all the glory (trite notoriety?), may I suggest the second through fourth movements? The entire symphony should be listened to as a whole, if possible. If not, listen to the parts-break it down for young listeners-describe the theme that runs through the entire symphony, listen for the way distinct instruments are introduced, each falling back on the central theme; describe the goosebumps when the transition from third to fourth movements occurs.
My parents got me started with a little 78RPM player and a couple of John Philip Sousa march records - well, it was during WWII when such music was acceptable. Next my first grade teacher enchanted me with “Morning” from Peer Gynt, so much so that eventually my mother made a special trip with me into Philly to visit the record department of the old Gimbels Department Store to buy a 2 record 78 album of the Suite. About that time the fantastic new 33 1/3 RPM technology was arriving, and with it full recordings of “Scheherazade”, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”, “Rhapsody in Blue”, and “Ein Heldenleben” (the theme of the old “Big Story” program) - and on and on...fast, loud, melodious, and dramatic did it every time.......
I recall an album of light favorites by Morton Gould (who I was later to learn was a heavy hitter in concert music) and an album of songs by Ernesto Lecuona by the great pianist Jose Iturbi.
But the family collection of classical music accelerated with our first LP radio-phonograph console in 1953, a Philco. Big sis started collecting such classics as Efrem Kurtz' reading of Khachaturian's Gayne suite (including Sabre Dance), Pennario/Slatkin's Rhapsody in Blue, and some cheap Euro imports of light classics, including one of Porgy and Bess.
[Later, after building our first kit-based true hi-fi system, I cannibalized the Philco's cabinet and speaker as a second speaker for that (mono) system. I also cannibalized the chassis of the Motorola to use as a small PA system for our club in Jr High School.]
Dad had some favorites too. I remember in particular a piece from Ippolitov-Ivanov's In the Steppes of Central Asia, titled Procession of the Sardar.
The family title of Chief Classical Music Collector eventually fell upon my shoulders. I went on to sell hi-fi/stereo equipment, broadcast concert music, and record some too.
Family members knew that a nice classical recording was an easy present choice for me! I am especially fond of an LP my brother gave me one Christmas: Cliburn/Reiner's performance of Beethoven's 4th Concerto.