A clever way to interest young people in classical music,
My Figure Skating Album features well-known classical pieces that often provide the soundtrack to figure skaters' equally beautiful and complicated routines. The double-disc set includes
Ravel's "Bolero,"
Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee," and
Saint-Saëns' "Carnaval des Animaux: Aquarium" among its time-tested compositions, and also features pieces by
Vivaldi,
Verdi,
Chopin, and
Elgar. Softer, smoother pieces like
Holst's "Planets: Venus, the Bringer of Peace" bring to mind the smooth, movements of skaters gliding on the ice, while faster, more rhythmic pieces like "The Typewriter" suggest their leaps, spins, and jumps.
My Figure Skating Album has a selection of pieces that are basic enough for those just beginning to discover classical music to enjoy, and diverse enough that longtime classical music buffs will find much to revisit. ~ Heather Phares