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A is for Oboe

The Orchestra's Alphabet

Audiobook (Includes supplementary content)
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0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: Not available
This deeply imaginative and entertaining poetry collection details the pleasures of the orchestra, from strong-willed A to satisfied Z.
Two widely acclaimed poets—one a composer and classical pianist as well—have come together to create this extraordinary portrait of the orchestra in all of its richness and fascination, using the structure of the alphabet in a way that's entirely new and delightful. A is for the first note you hear as you take your seat in the concert hall, played by the headstrong oboe. B is for the bassoon, "the orchestra's jester, complaining impatiently through his nose." And C is for the conductor, "like the captain on the bridge of a great ship, navigating the composer's musical charts."
Onward the text goes, soaring in reverie and making thought-provoking observations while not taking itself too seriously—illuminating all the various details that flow together to create the nourishing experience of playing or listening to music.
* This audiobook contains a downloadable PDF detailing information about the musical excerpts included in the audiobook.
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  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Thomas Quasthoff's voice has a musicality perfectly suited to this rich alphabet book with its own symphonic score. This is a poetic tribute to the orchestra--from the titular oboe, offering its musical "A" at each symphony's beginning, to musical notation, the conductor, the instruments, and the audience. In concert with the authors' passages, Quasthoff's German-accented baritone moves through alliterative phrases, describing singing piccolos, mournful English horns, and trilling woodwinds. Each letter has its own music accompanying Quasthoff's narration and as a stand-alone piece of representative music. There is simply no better way to experience this book than to hear it. An educational and emotive homage to the orchestra. L.T. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:790
  • Text Difficulty:3-4

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