| Parents with more than a passing interest in classical music and those who make a point of keeping up with sleep studies are apt to be drawn to Guitar Lullaby, which presents 17 tranquil, snooze-inducing songs in two pleasing programs. A lot of research went into this album: the soothing speech patterns parents instinctively switch on when calming children were put under the microscope, as were the soporific effects of traditional "Hush-a-Bye, Baby"-type lullabies and the musical structures restless young ears respond to best. In the liner notes, producer Keith Pearcy explains that children's music mustn't be complicated. To that end, Guitar Lullaby's bag of technical tricks includes short phrases and quicker-than-average resolution to musical structures. The first nine tracks are intended for older children (say, ages 5 and up), while the last eight are for the very young. Each of the two programs starts with an energetic though hardly rollicking number then winds down gradually to slow, gentle strumming. Throughout, Ricardo Cobo, formerly of the Bogotá Philharmonic, displays his gift for getting a guitar to give off emotions--in this case, pure, uncluttered, peaceful ones. And that makes it sort of a shame to tuck this recording into the narrow lullaby category. Although its sleep-promoting potential will serve an important purpose for many, its calming qualities are best enjoyed when the whole family's wide-awake. --Tammy La Gorce Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
