Recommended grades 2-5. Much is known about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the child prodigy who has given the world much of our most beloved classical symphonies, but little is known about his sister, Maria, also considered a virtuoso in her time, and a great influence on Mozart's own composition. Elizabeth Rusch brings the oft untold story of Maria in For the Love of Music: The Remarkable Story of Maria Anna Mozart (Tricycle Press, 2011). Each movement in Maria's life is accompanied by a piece of the sonata structure - her childhood is labeled "The First Movement," her tour with Mozart called "Allegro" for it's fast pace. Rusch's descriptions of the children are lively, many young readers may see some of their brothers and sisters in the text. The characters and setting come to life with paintings and collages by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. Figures are painted in paint so thick that you can see the texture of the brushstrokes, and the clothes they wear as well as the walls in their rooms are overlaid with period fabric. Pianos and doors are made of handwritten musical notes on pages browned with age. These techniques express the richness of the culture Maria Mozart inhabited. This book would be a fabulous way to introduce young readers to classical music and musical composition. Highly Recommended, ****.
Monday, October 10, 2011
For the Love of Music
Recommended grades 2-5. Much is known about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the child prodigy who has given the world much of our most beloved classical symphonies, but little is known about his sister, Maria, also considered a virtuoso in her time, and a great influence on Mozart's own composition. Elizabeth Rusch brings the oft untold story of Maria in For the Love of Music: The Remarkable Story of Maria Anna Mozart (Tricycle Press, 2011). Each movement in Maria's life is accompanied by a piece of the sonata structure - her childhood is labeled "The First Movement," her tour with Mozart called "Allegro" for it's fast pace. Rusch's descriptions of the children are lively, many young readers may see some of their brothers and sisters in the text. The characters and setting come to life with paintings and collages by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. Figures are painted in paint so thick that you can see the texture of the brushstrokes, and the clothes they wear as well as the walls in their rooms are overlaid with period fabric. Pianos and doors are made of handwritten musical notes on pages browned with age. These techniques express the richness of the culture Maria Mozart inhabited. This book would be a fabulous way to introduce young readers to classical music and musical composition. Highly Recommended, ****.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment