Why Handel Waggled His Wig Paperback – Import, May 18, 2006

I've loved Stephen Isserlis' work as a cellist for a long time, but this book (and the previous volume, Why Beethoven Threw the Stew) are fantastic. Not necessarily for young children (the teacher or parent should read these first to determine what parts of the book are suitable for a particular age) but certainly fascinating...I reread this after we were done reading it together.Isserlis' scholarship and care was clear, and his voice well-defined...and his passion as a musician and for the stories of these men and their music. Also....there is a great sense of pacing.If you love this or its predecessor, then also type in Isserlis on youtube and you'll find some small performances and "lectures" he gave to children. Adorable. He's definitely got a natural wig of his own. (:

This is the second book by Isserlis, but they are not sequential in order. These books are very humorous and my 11 year old daughter is delighted by them. This book has several more composers than the first book. I think Steven Isserlis was having such a good time he couldn't stop. And your child will have a great time reading them. The author is incredibly engaging and my daughter loves how he writes directly to the reader.

Perhaps I have a love for 12 year old humor, but I very much enjoyed the book. I am an amateur classical musician with a deep knowledge of many of the composers, but from the moment I picked up this book I knew it would be different. Funny, lots of inside stories I had never heard. Isserlis is also funny on Twitter And what a great cellist!.

This book is all about having a fun, easy read while learning about the lives of these great composers. Not in depth but quite good for all ages.

Very entertaining and informative. Written for the younger reader, perhaps late middle school, but I enjoyed it as an adult professional music teacher.

Very well written and exceptionally entertaining! Steven Isserlis has done a great job writing in such a way that the reader experiences the same humanity as the subject they are reading about!

Fun style with strong research & music knowledge.

Came upon this book by accident, thinking it would be a good educational read for children. It turned out to be a witty, well-written introduction to some famous composers and their notable works (and some under-appreciated ones), full of little personal anecdotes alongside basic historical information. A good, fun place to start at any age.

Humorous, interesting stories and fun facts written out in a very casual and interesting style.If you ever want to study classical music history without the pressure from daunting history books that require lots of focus, go for this.You can read this when youre on a bus, or travelling or otherwise free, where you dont need to dedicate focus, and need engaging content.That way you can continue to improve on musical (at least the fun part of history) knowledge when you are not with your instrument.

Rispetto al primo volume questo è anche meglio! Evidentemente l'autore è migliorato con l'esperienza. La lettura è leggera ma non troppo. Le vite dei grandi musicisti sono descritte con dovizia di particolari. I loro capolavori musicali parlano da soli, bene ha fatto Isserlis a dedicare loro meno spazio, in proporzione. Il libro mi è tanto piaciuto che sono convinto di rileggerlo in futuro.

Great introduction to classical music for the children and informative for the grown ups too.

Estupendo libro.Interesante y entretenido tanto para niños, cómo para adultos. Lo recomiendo para inicializarse en la música clásica captando el carácter de los compositores. Ideal para ampliar vocabulario.

Excellent