When you think of the term Classical Music you probably don’t think of the type of classical music that Beethoven’s Wig offers. Richard Perlmutter has a unique way of making classical music lively and interesting for even the smallest of kids. Richard has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, as well as NPR’s All Things Considered.

The newest album, Beethoven’s Wig: Sing Along Piano Classics, features the works of composers such as Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, and more. All of the songs have that classical tone and feel. As I listened, I realized it was way different than any classical music I’d listened to. It was set to the level of a child, and I mean that in a good way. Richard does a great job of keeping the music classical but also adding in his own quirks and stories, so that the songs are fun, outgoing, and full of hilarious laughs. There is even some opera involved along the way.

Here is a listing of the Sing Along Piano Classics Track:

1. La De Da Sonata (Sonata in C Major, Mozart)
2. Poor Uncle Joe (Funeral March, Chopin)
3. My Little Chicken (Chopsticks, de Lulli)
4. A Piano is Stuck in the Door (The Entertainer, Joplin)
5. I Like Art (“Promenade” from Pictures at an Exhibition, Mussorgsky)
6. Minuet for My Pet (Minuet in G, Beethoven)
7. Mozart Makes Kids Smart (Rondo Alla Turca, Mozart)
8. The Pony Express (The Wild Rider, Schumann)
9. I Can’t Sleep (Lullaby, Brahms) (Probably one of my favorite songs)
   
10. Mary Go Round (“Vivo” from Les Cinq Doigts, Stravinsky)
11. S.O.S. (“Langsam” from Six Short Pieces for Piano, Schoenberg)
12. Bang Bang Bang (Amiable Conversation, Henry Cowell)
13. Voyage to the Moon (Clair de Lune, Debussy)

While some of the songs have lyrics and are rather silly in nature, catering to kids and their perspective on life, there are also songs with just the instrumental portion of the song, as well, so that kids can listen to both versions. I love that feature, as a homeschool mom, trying to educate my boys about where music has come from. I also love it because these are classical pieces, and when I might not want to listen to the silly portion of the album, I can be carried away with beautiful piano classics.

You can purchase Beethoven’s Wig: Sing Along Piano Classics for $12.98; it’s geared for kids ages 4-11. It also plays for 46 minutes. You can find Beethoven’s Wig on Facebook and follow @beethovenswig on Twitter.

(Disclosure: I received a copy of this CD, free of charge, from Waldmania! PR, for the purposes of review. All views/opinions remain solely my own.)