Classical

e has really taken to classical music. Ever since he was a baby I have been playing it in the car. I've always enjoyed listening to the music even though I don't know much about its history. e has labeled the channel, the violin station.

Lately when we've been listening I've been putting a story behind the music. As I mentioned I don't know the composers well so I use my imagination. To name a few examples...The high pitched, rhythmic sounds are mice or ants. The low, slow horns a fox, wolf, or bear. The stringed instruments can also take on an environment like a storm or sunny day. I will start the story and e will chime in adding in his little details.

One day I heard a piece that sounded very familiar, yet I couldn't figure out from where. I started my make-believe illustrations and then thought I was listening to Peter And The Wolf. I then shifted the illustrations to fit the story and when the piece was finished it was announced as being from Fantasia. Ah! I had recognized it but put the wrong story to it. I then got excited and told e what the music's illustrations really were and that I would rent for him the Disney movie. He thought it was pretty silly to hear about dishes, bubbles and brooms dancing.

The other day after picking e up from school he asked if I would turn on the "mouse" song. I didn't understand his request until he asked again calling it the "mouse and wolf" song. Ah, he wanted the classical station and immediately wanted to imagine the illustrations.

What is also so fantastic is that e will listen to the music and match the characters mood to the compositions. If the music sounds somber, he will ask why the mouse is sad. Or when the music is loud with cymbals and drums he will say that the mouse is scared cause the wolf is coming to get him. He pays close attention to the musical notes and generates an emotion that I believe is wonderfully fitting.

I recommend when driving with e to turn on the classical station. Ask him what he hears, perhaps help him with his choice of characters and watch/listen to his imagination grow. I look forward to our stories. I look forward to him playing an instrument one day.