Music Munchers - Beethoven's Wig, Vol. 2: More Sing-Along Symphonies by Beethoven's Wig

Product Review
From a pure-pleasure standpoint, the first Beethoven's Wig was nothing to flip over, and the second disc in the series follows suit. However, that is not to say that this is not a valuable and possibly ingenious record. Those unfamiliar with the premise will quickly get the picture: Producer/writer/lead singer/chief clever guy Richard Perlmutter gathers a bundle of important classical works (Paganini's "Violin Concerto #2," Strauss' "Blue Danube Waltz") and makes up silly, catchy lyrics to lay over them, informing the listener about the piece or its composer. Standing out for their offbeat brilliance this time are "Dvorak the Czechoslovak" ("Humoresque #7," Dvorak) and "Wow What a Wedding Cake" (Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mendelssohn). Few stabs at mixing education with entertainment succeed so well. As a bonus, the second half of the CD repeats the symphonies straight up, presenting a neat opportunity to quiz kids 5-12 on what and who they've just heard. --Tammy La Gorce

I am a HUGE fan of the original Beethoven's Wig. I think the premise is brilliant: instead of following the tired formula of simply collecting "important" classical pieces into CDs aimed at children, take those pieces and give them clever lyrics for the kids (and their parents) to sing along with. Much of what I liked about the original Beethoven's Wig was the way the lyrics managed to be silly and yet at the same time convey some real information about either the song, the composer or both. If Beethoven's Wig 2 has a fault, it's simply that it isn't quite as clever or entertaining as the original. First, I think Richard Perlmutter did a better job of selecting the classical pieces for the first disc. More of the songs are upbeat and seem "made" for singing along to. Beethoven's Wig 2 starts out strong with the Light Cavalry March, La donne e mobile and In the Hall of the Mountain King, but the middle of the disc switches gears and seems to lag in comparison to the bright opening. Moreover, the lyrics just aren't as consistently clever in Beethoven's Wig 2. While I love "Stuck in the Saddle Again" and "It's the Same Every Verse," I think several of the other songs (such as "Dvorak The Czechoslovak") try too hard to impart "important" information about the composer at the expense of maintaining the sense of humor and fun that typifies the Beethoven's Wig series. Finally, while the first CD ended with a literal bang ("1812 Overture," aptly re-titled "Tchaikovsky's Cannonball"), the second ends with the Wedding March - a decent enough piece re-titled "Wow What a Wedding Cake," but not nearly the big finish of the first Beethoven's Wig. Despite all this, I still give Beethoven's Wig 2 four stars simply because I believe it's one of the very best ways to introduce children to classical music and make it an exceptionally enjoyable experience. Kids of all ages will definitely want to hear this disc over and over, and while it might not live up to the incredibly high standards of the first Beethoven's Wig, it's still much better than many of the other children's music CDs out there. Comment | Permalink | (Report this)