The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet, opera and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores. With The Story Orchestra keyboard sound books, children can play the famous melodies themselves with the sound of a real grand piano.
The Story Orchestra : The Four Seasons In One Day
Discover what it would be like to travel through the four seasons in one day in this musical story based on the classical masterpiece The Four Seasons - push the button in each breathtaking scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Vivaldi's score.
Follow a little girl called Isabelle and her dog, Pickle, as they take on the adventure of a lifetime. As a sign of the changing seasons, Isabelle carries a little apple tree with her, and we see it bud, blossom and lose its leaves. As you and your little one journey through the vibrant scenes illustrated by artist Jessica Courtney-Tickle, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from The Four Seasons violin concerti.
At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Antonio Vivaldi, with details about his composition of The Four Seasons. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
The Story Orchestra : Swan Lake
Discover the spellbinding magic of Swan Lake in this musical retelling of the ballet - push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Tchaikovsky's score.
This tale of a prince, a beautiful swan princess and an evil sorcerer begins in a woodland clearing far, far away. It is Prince Siegfried's 21st birthday. He is playing games with his friends when his mother, the Queen, arrives to tell him he needs to stop having fun and start looking after the kingdom. Prince Siegfried dreams of running away.
He follows an enchanting flock of swans to a clearing by a lake, where four of the little cygnets begin to dance. The most beautiful swan transforms into the Princess Odette, who tells him that she has been cursed to turn into a swan by day and return to her natural form at night by the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart. As the prince and Odette dance, they begin to fall in love.
The story follows Prince Siegfried as he attends his birthday party, is tricked into proposing to Von Rothbart's daughter Odile and returns to the lake to battle the evil sorcerer. Will the prince be reunited with his swan princess?
As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the ballet's music. At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with details about his composition of Swan Lake. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
The Story Orchestra: The Carnival of the Animals
Discover the magical world of Carnival of the Animals in this musical reimagining of this celebrated suite for children - push the button in each breathtaking scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Camille Saint-Saens' score.
One day, two brothers discover a magical animal kingdom behind their bookcase. They are greeted by the royal lion with his shaggy mane; ask for directions from an old lonely tortoise; take a ride on some lumbering elephants; topple a skeleton of dinosaur bones; and swim among a school of shimmering fish. If only they could take them all home...
The book includes extracts from 'The Swan', 'Aquarium', 'Fossils', and 'Finale' (From Disney's Fantasia) along with a totally new story to link the pieces together.
As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the suite's music. At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Camille Saint-Saens, with details about his composition of Carnival of the Animals. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
The Story Orchestra : Sleeping Beauty
Discover the enchanting world of The Sleeping Beauty in this musical retelling of the ballet - push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Tchaikovsky's score.
Guardian: 'a lively retelling, enriched by Jessica Courtney Tickle's luscious illustrations - each spread is like an illuminated garden'
Join the King and Queen as they throw a party for their new baby, Princess Aurora. But when a terrible guest arrives and places a curse on princess, the kingdom must find the one special person who can defeat it... As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes illustrated by artist Jessica Courtney Tickle, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the ballet's music.
At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with details about his composition of Swan Lake. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker
Follow Clara on a magical Christmas adventure in this musical retelling of The Nutcracker ballet - push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Tchaikovsky's original score.
It is Christmas Eve at Clara's house. Scents of ginger, chocolate and peppermint waft through the air. Clara's parents are having a party, and her little brother Fritz is decorating the Christmas tree. Clara's godfather, a toymaker, arrives with gifts, including a very special one for her - a wooden nutcracker carved in the shape of a little man. After Fritz breaks it, the children are sent to bed.
The story follows Clara in her dreams as she battles and defeats a mouse king, then travels with her nutcracker-turned-prince to the Land of Sweets where she watches its enchanting inhabitants perform beautiful dances. As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the ballet's music, including 'The Waltz of the Flowers', 'The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy', 'The Russian Dance', and the awesome 'Finale'.
At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with details about his composition of The Nutcracker ballet. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
