Songs for children from Ireland, England and Quebec. A treasure chest full of traditional English nursery rhymes, and recommendable childrens CDs from Ireland and Canada are featured in this issues' column.
Nursery Rhymes galore
I have to admit and apologise - I missed out reviewing this book when it arrived - but the reason for this reads already like a good recommendation: When my wife found it, she found it so useful that she directly took it away and for good use - and I forgot all about it!
"The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes & Children's Songs" offer a comprehensive collection of well known and favourite English nursery rhymes and children's songs - 169 songs in total! It is a superb reference book for English grown-ups to remind them of the full lyrics of all those songs they used to sing and get sund when they were little. As my wife testifies - whatever English children's song you might think of, it is highly likely to be in here. While this book is published in the States, the songs are all those favourites traditionally (also) sung and loved in England. The songs all come with full lyrics as well as guitar chords. A real treasure of a book!
From Irish fairies, mice and other creatures
Crossing the Irish sea, we have with the CD "Let the Fairies in" a delightful collection of traditional Irish Children's songs and songs suitable for children, sung by the great trad Irish singer Padraigin Ni Uallachain in English language. The music that comes with the songs is trad Irish of the highest calibre, with the likes of Garry O Briain (guitar, mandocello), Ronan Browne (flute) and Donal O Connor (guitar etc.).
The songs tell stories about dancing children (The Dancing Child), dancing mice (The Field Mouse's Ball) and a band of little people (The Magical Band), and there are simple love stories (e.g. As I roved Out) and fairy tale songs (Fair Rosa - which is the same as Germany's very well known childrens song "Dornröschen").
A gentle and very pleasant album with - as it says in the sub-title - songs for young and old.
French-Canadian energy
This is French-Canadian energetic folk for children, with top quality music. In fact, with Henri Godon's CD "Chansons pour toutes sortes d'enfants" you would not know that this is children's music if you had not read the title of the CD or listened to the lyrics of the songs. I would say that the lyrics are particularly aimed at 8-10+ year old children but will be suitable also for younger ones - they may be about holidays, discos, Halloween or the unresolved mystery of how you make babies. The music is top notch, in a typical French Canadian trad style, with guitars, accordion, various brass instruments and double bass. Albeit short (35 mins) this is an album full of energy and fun, which will be loved by young and old alike.
Photo Credits:
(1)-(3) CD Covers (from website).