by John M. Feierabend

This 3 CD set offers a wealth of carefully selected classical works to inspire children and help them to experience the expressive artistry of music through creative movement.

Based on John M. Feierabend’s theories of music and movement development, these musical selections are organized into themes adapted from the work of movement specialist Rudolf von Laban including: Light/Gentle, Heavy/Strong, Sustained, Sudden, Slow/Bound, Quick/Free, Relaxed, Tense, Joyful, and Combinations!

The ability to express music through movement depends on the development of a personal movement vocabulary. The companion text, The Book of Movement Exploration by John M. Feierabend and Jane Kahn, provides activities and examples that will inspire you and your students to create wonder-full movement and dance experiences.

These 73 short classical pieces are also organized into the various Laban themes to provide an ideal “soundtrack” for movement exploration activities. Pairing movement exploration activities with these selections will enable students to increasingly develop their artful sensitivity of the expressive qualities of music and will gradually teach children how they can use their bodies to demonstrate how music “moves” them.

What better way to discover how music can move you than to move with the music!

CD #1

Light/Gentle: Schumann, Kinderszenen, Op. 15, “Of Foreign Lands and People”; Greig, “Little Bird,” Op. 43, No. 4; Saint-Saens, “The Aquarium,” from Carnival of the Animals; Strauss, “Pizzicato Polka”; Bach, Flute Sonata in E-flat Major, BWV 1031: “Il Siciliano.”

Heavy/Strong: Kabalevsky, “Pantomime,” from the Comedians; Handel, “Music for the Royal Fireworks,” “Menuet II”; Warlock, Basse-Danse from “Capriol Suite”; Stavinsky, “Song of the Volga Boatmen”; Saint-Saens, “The Elephant” from Carnival of the Animals; Saint-Saens, “Pianists” from Carnival of the Animals; Brahms, “Hungarian Dances No. 5”; Strauss, “Also sprach Zarathustra”; Khachaturian, “Dance of the Comrades.” 

Sustained: Shubert, “Impromptu Op. 142, No. 3”; Rubenstein, “Melody in F”; Faure, “Pie Jesu”; Saint-Seans, “The Swan” from Carnival of the Animals; Handel, “Largo Xerxes”; Satie, “Gymnopedie No. 1,” Torelli, “Andante” from Sonata No. 5 in D; Debussy, Symphony in B minor, movement 2; Vivaldi, Four Seasons Violin Concerto in F Minor, Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297; Ravel, “Pavane pour une infante defunte”; Mozart, “Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, Andante.”

Sudden: Kabalevsky, The Comedians, “Presto;” Mussourgsky, Sorochintsi Fair, “Hopak”; Khachaturian, “Gayne,” Sabre Dance; Mussorgsky, “Gnomes” from Pictures at an Exhibition Bizet, Carmen, “March of the Toreadors”; Saint-Saens, “The Kangaroos” from Carnival of the Animals; Saint-Saens, “People with Long Ears” from Carnival of the Animals.

CD #2

Slow/Bound: Bach, “Air on a G String;” Chopin, “Prelude No. 4 in E Minor”; Saint- Saens, “Tortoises” from Carnival of the Animals; Handel, Saul HWV 53, “Act III: Dead March: Grave”; Handel, Oboe Concert No. 3 in G Minor, HWV 287: “III Sarabande: Largo;” Purcell, Music on the Death of Queen Mary.

Quick/Free: Rimsky Korsakov, “Flight of the Bumble Bee” from The Tale of the Tsar Saltan; Schumann, Kinderszenen, “Catch-as-catch-can”; Schumann, Carnaval, Op. 9, “Papillons”; Stravinsky, 3 Pieces for Solo Clarinet, “No. 3: Greig, Butterfly, Op. 43, No. 1; Gershwin, 3 Preludes, No. 3; Saint-Saens, “Wild Donkeys” from Carnival of the Animals; Saint-Saens, “Aviary” from Carnival of the Animals; Chopin Prelude No. 3 in G Minor; Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 53, movement 4: “Vivace.”

Joyful: Handel, “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba,” from Solomon; Bach, “Badinerie” from Overture No. 2 in B Minor; Handel, Concerto Grosso No. 6 in D Major HWV 317 (Op. 3): 1 Vivace; Handel, Concerto Grosso No. 3 in G Major, HWV 317 (Op. 3) II Allegro; Bach, Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007.

CD #3

Relaxed: Satie, Trois Gymnopédies, No. 3; Satie, “Bain des Graces” from Mercure; Schumann, “Trämerei”; Rorem, “Vermouth” from Picnic on the Marne; Faure, “In Paradisum,” from Requiem, Op. 63; Gershwin, Three Preludes for Piano, No. 2. 

Tense: Bartok, Out of Doors, Sz. 81, “With Drums and Pipes”; Stravinsky, “The Devils Dance” from Histoire du Soldat; Rorem, “Making Up,” from Picnic on the Marne; Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake Suite, Op. 20a, “Scene 1.” 

Music for Combinations/Contrasts: Debussy, “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair”; Faure, “Sicillience, Op. 78”; Debussy, “Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum” from The Children’s Corner; Debussy, “Menuet” from Petite Suite; Verdi, “Sanctus” from Requiem; Chopin, “Prelude No. 20 in C Minor, Op. 28”; Chopin Waltz No. 6 in D-flat Major, Op. 64, No. 1, “Minute Waltz”; Brahms Symphony No. 1, movement 1; Verdi, “Dies Irae,” from Requiem; Debussy, “Cortege” from Petit Suite.