Help Me Create a "Must Hear" list for Music

[MamaBearTeacher]

I have found really great lists of must-read books and must-see movies on this site for my kids.   I am now wanting to get a list of CDs I should play for my kids to make them very well-rounded.  I already expose them to lots of classical music.  I am looking for other classic music, maybe golden oldies, musicals, folk, international, really great singers, or anything else to enrich their lives.  No heavy metal or really loud rock, and not really 80s or 90s music but otherwise I am open.  I am thinking for my older two who are 12 and 9 and growing.  I already expose them to a lot but I want more.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I grew up on all kinds of music, my Mom loved soundtracks and Nat King Cole.  Windjammer, Steven Sondheim, Gilbert and Sullivan.  My Dad loved country.   She also loved and knew classical well.  Arthur Fieldler and the Boston Pops were a mainstay, especially the Christmas specials.  Then again, so were the Beach Boys so I guess I grew up with a pretty eclectic mix I've tried to share with my kids as well.

Manhattan Transfer was tons of fun, Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass, specifically Whipped Cream and Other Delights,

Peter, Paul and Mommy was a childhood favorite that I found for my kids.  http://www.amazon.com/Peter-Paul-And-Mommy-Mary/dp/B000002KAV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383656496&sr=8-1&keywords=peter.+paul+and+Mommy

 

The Windjammer soundtrack, was from a movie http://www.amazon.com/Windjammer-Voyage-Christian-Radich-Blu-ray/dp/B008N3E034/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1383656571&sr=8-2&keywords=windjammer

http://www.amazon.com/Windjammer-Jack-Shaindlin/dp/B00DR3T1MK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1383656518&sr=8-5&keywords=windjammer

 

Any Arthur Fieldler album is wonderful http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=arthur%20fiedler%20and%20the%20boston%20pops&sprefix=arthur+fie%2Caps%2C179

 

Peter and the Wolf was another favorite

http://www.amazon.com/Prokofiev-Peter-Wolf-Sergey/dp/B000HRME32/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383656929&sr=8-1&keywords=Peter+and+the+Wolf

 

Pirates of Penzance

 

off the top of my head, those were standouts

 

 

 

 

[Angie in VA]

Got Pandora? It's free!  Or satellite radio in your car or home or even on your tv channels? There are channels for genres, eras and artists. That's an easy way to get exposure to a lot of different kinds of music. 

 

 

[Miss Mousie]

Robbie Robertson (of The Band, etc.) just released a book/two-CD combo called Legends, Icons & Rebels, which seems to be a terrific introduction to highly influential rock (and "pre-rock") artists.

 

Disclaimer: I bought it after hearing a couple radio interviews, but have not yet read the book.

 

Disclaimer the Second:  You may want to pre-read with an eye toward subjects you don't want your kids to know about just yet (e.g. drug use).

 

http://www.amazon.com/Legends-Icons-Rebels-Music-Changed/dp/1770495711/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383675621&sr=8-1&keywords=robbie+robertson

[jar7709]

Folk music can be a really rich addition to an American history study imo.  Really varied and interesting to study the contex as well.  Besides all those old sea shanties, cowboy songs, railroad ballads, slave spirituals, etc., you can move forward to Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Peter Paul & Mary.  Lots.

 

ETA-- blues and jazz, too.  Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James to name a few.  :) 

[SnMomof7]

I'm using What your nth Grader Needs to Know for that :).

[MamaBearTeacher]

These are so great!  Keep them coming!

[marbel]

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music History is a fun book with lists of music to look for. 

 

We play a lot of different types of music at home and in the car.  I guess my husband and I have pretty varied taste so the kids get a bit of almost everything.  Our one area of failure is show tunes - neither of us like musicals.

 

Carnival of the Animals is great fun classical music.  I see someone mentioned Peter and the Wolf.  Christmas is coming so you must see/hear The Nutcracker! 

 

[tammyw]

We love pandora. Jazz Essentials is dd10's favorite. They have everything. Try setting up a bunch of stations and see what you like. We have a little of everything!

[Miss Mousie]

One of the bajillion ideas I keep in mind, in case I can homeschool some day, is to link music with American history.  For example, how could one possibly understand early 20th Century America without Scott Joplin, Robert Johnson, and Woody Guthrie?  :confused1:  

 

Another thought for a starting point is to look for Smithsonian audio collections at your library.  I see on their website that they have some free downloads, too.  (Link goes to a new collection:  Classic Banjo!  :drool5: )

 

http://www.folkways.si.edu/classic-banjo-from-folkways/american-folk-bluegrass-country-old-time/album/Smithsonian

 

 

 

 

[MrsH]

Raising Musical Kids has a list in the back that I really like. It's entitled "songs that Americans, of all ages, should know and can sing" and is compiled by the Music Educators National Conference.  It's a great mix of patriotic songs, folk music, traditional songs, show tunes, and pop greats such as the Beatles.  Maybe 100 in all?  I select from this list to actually learn songs.  Some I can bang out on the piano, others we just learn to sing by playing it frequently in the car or something.  I like to try to learn one per month, but sometimes forget.

 

There's also an appendix "Suggestions for Listening" which is full of a wide range of classical works, show tunes, and famous pop musicians (such as Springsteen).  Those are CDs that I just request from the library and we play for a while, then return.  We don't "study" them or anything, unless the kids are particularly interested.

[helena]

Linda Ronstadt's Canciones de mi Padre and Mas Cancions are great. She does all the old Mexican rancheras so beautifully. 

http://www.amazon.com/Canciones-mi-Padre-Linda-Ronstadt/dp/B001MDZNDI/ref=cm_rdp_product

 

I loved this record as a kid, and now my daughter's like it too. It has both Candy Man and You Are my Sunshine on it. Mississippi John Hurt http://www.amazon.com/Best-Mississippi-John-Hurt/dp/B000000EBH/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1383786722&sr=1-3&keywords=mississippi+john+hurt

 

Mary O'Hara has a lovely voice and sings many songs in Gaelic. Here's our all time favorite, The Fairy Tree 

 

We're really into Erik Satie right now http://www.amazon.com/Best-Erik-Satie/dp/B00004SYFP/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1383788239&sr=1-1&keywords=erik+satie

 

Have they listened to Vince Guaraldi (Peanuts)? His non Snoopy music is great as well. 

 

Ravi Shankar is king... we listen to this record a lot http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Sitar-Ravi-Shankar/dp/B00004LMLB/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1383789014&sr=1-1&keywords=sound+of+sitar

 

I find Electric Music for the Mind and Body to be "enriching."  :tongue_smilie: http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Music-Mind-Body-Country/dp/B00BF0SI8U/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1383789301&sr=1-1&keywords=electric+music+for+the+mind+and+body

 

Specifically a kid's record, Ella Jenkins  :001_wub: African American Folk Rhythms http://www.amazon.com/African-American-Folk-Songs-Rhythms/dp/B00000DBW6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383789757&sr=8-1&keywords=african+american+folk+rhythms

 

and French Children's Songs http://www.amazon.com/Songs-French-Children-Vernay/dp/B00005CEP5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383789942&sr=8-1&keywords=french+children%27s+songs

 

[helena]

Oh drat I forgot about how those videos come up all big.  :glare:

[Guest mynvgrlz]

Ambleside online has a great list of classic hymns

[Pen]

subbing

[EmilyK]

These are great ideas!

[rutamattatt]

Gershwin, Steven Foster, John Phillips Sousa, Rodgers and Hammerstein.   

[RootAnn]

One of the bajillion ideas I keep in mind, in case I can homeschool some day, is to link music with American history.  For example, how could one possibly understand early 20th Century America without Scott Joplin, Robert Johnson, and Woody Guthrie?  :confused1:  

{hijack} :iagree:

I wish someone had a learn-history-through-music curriculum already put together. Songs that are PART of history as well as songs that REFERENCE history would be great.

 

I know I want to do a semester modern history focus in high school around Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire." {/hijack}

[shukriyya]

International ::

 

Zakir Hussain

Swapan Chaudhuri

Riffat Sultana

Hariprasad Chaurasia

 

Ravi Shankar has already been mentioned. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is another.