What is 'organic music'?

‘Organic music' is simply music that is lovingly composed, arranged, and performed by singers and players who are open and honest about the provenance and purpose of their material. Our aim from the start of this project has been to try and take an acoustic ‘snapshot’ of a range of songs, tailor-made for young children, as if they were being played right there in the room with your child. With this in mind, guitar, violin, flute, harp, assorted gongs, xylophones, bells and percussion instruments were all recorded live by a roomful of talented musicians, and no use was made of synthesizers, samplers or digital sound effects.

Where did the songs on the album come from?

Some of the songs on the album are well-known children's classics, while others were originally written by Waldorf school and kindergarten teachers in Israel and around the world for performance with the children in their care.
Why do some of the lyrics contain elevated poetic language?
Language has a decisive influence in shaping the character of young children. A child exposed to a rich linguistic world will usually flex their own lexical muscles harder in response, expanding their ability to absorb language even if they do not understand every word they encounter. In fact, it’s fascinating to discover that words we have never deciphered fully for our children can still become vivid, image-laden concepts for them over time. Therefore, we should not hesitate to employ poetic language around our children, whenever the opportunity presents itself.

What are the benefits of musical arrangements that are minimalist and gentle?

Despite the frantic pace of the modern world, we feel that childhood should remain a time of dreamy innocence – with our children protected and nurtured as much as possible as they navigate its currents. Correspondingly, this album offers arrangements that are both simple and subtle, characterised by relaxed rhythms, unaffected vocals, and natural instruments. Our goal is to leave as much room as possible for the human voice, supported (but never obscured) by the instruments that accompany it. In this way, we hope to speak as directly as we can to our core audience – the children.

Why is singing and playing music for children so important?

Before the 20th Century, a mother's singing typically accompanied her child from the moment of birth, through daily routines and rituals, all the way to bedtime. An entire understanding of the world and its activities – all new to the child – was passed on through songs, rhymes, and voice-games. In this way, a child’s first steps in life could be supported gently and harmoniously, as befits the tender developing soul.
However, in today’s breathless digital society parents sing and play to their children less than ever before and, consequently, many songs that were previously passed down from generation to generation are now lost and forgotten. At their best, such songs offered direct insights into the true nature of childhood and often framed the child's needs with great precision.
Song from Dawn to Dusk is full of texts and tunes that are appropriate for singing with children. They can be easily memorised by parents, and it really doesn’t matter if the singing is hesitant or insecure, if the voice is broken or even completely off-key: a live and loving singer always gives life and love to a song.
Why should we accompany routine daily activities with song?
A balanced, well-established daily routine has a direct influence on a child’s healthy physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Adding the occasional song to accompany the various activities can help children engage more fully with those activities, making the whole process both joyful and life affirming.
Of course, we’re all familiar with requests for repeat readings of a child’s favourite story or appeals for the same song to be sung over-and-over again. Repetition acts as a safe ‘base’ to which the young child can return. During the iterative process, the child absorbs the details of the story or the song in greater depth and develops an unselfconscious sense of ownership. Incorporating movement (such as accompanying hand gestures etc.) is a wonderful way for parents to enhance this natural process, and it can help children visualise textual images, facilitate memorisation, and bring greater enjoyment to the experience.

A final word …
This album is unashamedly positive in outlook and educational in intent, containing songs that seek to preserve and promote childhood. We think that children should be able to enjoy their formative years to the full; growing physically and emotionally, and relishing the freedom to develop as human beings. It is with this guiding principle firmly in mind that the album is dedicated to children, parents and kindergarten teachers everywhere.

Shaul Gros, 2018
Shaul Gros – Producer
Meital Gros & Yifat Fellner-Simpson – Pedagogical advisors
Peter Simpson – Song translations / Booklet text editor