Excerpts:
“His songs are funny, but Perlmutter is not just a highbrow "Weird Al" Yankovic. The lyrics are hummable mnemonics, each imparting information about the work or its composer.”
— Nicole Arthur, The Washington Post
“If you're a kid — or a kid at heart — chances are you find the thought of Ludwig van Beethoven's silly white wig more amusing than the great composer's timeless compositions.”
— Renee Montagne, NPR
“Hearing these sublime pieces fronted by a man with the effervescence and humor of a Kindergarten teacher or a young bard singing cute little numbers between shows on PBS Kids is just the thing to get kids thinking that classical music really isn't just for grown ups after all.”
— RC Speck, WCPE -- TheClassicalStation.org's blog
“"I talk to people about the particular songs and composers," Perlmutter says. "I like to engage the crowd, so in one song people get to sing along; in another they get to dance. Everyone always enjoys it. You know, lots of people think classical music might be pretty stuffy, and this is far from it."”
— Mary Ellen Hunt, San Francisco Chronicle
“Today there are four albums in the "Beethoven's Wig" series, which have been nominated for more than 40 awards, including three Grammy Award nominations. The "Beethoven's Wig" albums and concerts have been praised as excellent vehicles to introduce young audiences to classical music. The excerpts are short — usually just a couple of minutes in length — and Perlmutter's lyrics often mix child-like zaniness with a bit of history.”
— James Watt, Tulsa World
“Other favorite tunes with equally zany lyrics include Jacques Offenbach's "Can-Can" and Giuseppe Verdi's "La Dona e Mobile" (renamed "Sing Verdi Verdi Loud"), as well as an unusual piece by Beethoven, his "Work for Mandolin," the backdrop for Perlmutter's lyrics in "Play My Song.”
— Bonnie Langston, Daily Freeman
“An award-winning family program created by Richard Perlmutter, "Beethoven's Wig" is a zany, sing-along, symphony production that offers whimsical renditions of familiar classical pieces by beloved composers, ranging from Beethoven to Brahms and Schubert to Strauss.”
— Julia Ann Weekes
“Classical music was never supposed to be this much fun. Was it?”
— Lori Sears, The Baltimore Sun
“Although Perlmutter's lyrics are funny, that's not his main objective: Their content is intended to teach listeners something about the work and the composer. Thus Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" becomes "Wow, What a Wedding Cake" and Strauss's "Blue Danube Waltz" becomes "Please Do Not Teach the Viennese." In addition to being entertaining, his creations are frighteningly effective mnemonics. How much children's music actually makes you smarter?”
— Nicole Arthur, The Washington Post
“The Grammy-nominated artist has just finished his third CD in the Rounder Records "Beethoven's Wig'' series, which appeals to kids and parents alike.”
— Diana McKeon Charkalis, Los Angeles Daily News
“An excellent introduction to the fun of classical music for young people.”
— Betsy L. Hogan, Midwest Book Review
“Twice nominated for Grammy Awards these CDs, aimed at young children, have also collected a host of other awards, rightly so in my opinion. Beethoven's Wig is the original concept of Richard Perlmutter,”
— JUDITH MONK, Musical Opinion Magazine
“The crowd sang, giggled and clapped along throughout the show, and when Perlmutter invited the audience to stand up and do the can-can with him, they obliged.”
— Jaci Webb, Billings Gazette
“People went nuts. It won 13 national awards, including a Grammy Award nomination in 2003 and a Parents Choice award, and Perlmutter was featured on NBC's "Today" show and National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" with Susan Stamberg. Suddenly, Perlmutter's little ditty was gold.”
— Jaci Webb, Billings Gazette
“[Perlmutter will] encourage families to sing and dance along, challenge them to trivia contests and basically just have fun with the classics.”
— Billy Heller, New York Post
“Bravo! This is the album that every 11-year-old wannabe opera singer coulda/shoulda recorded.”
— Yvette Cadeaux, Pulse! Magazine
“...wickedly ingenious lyricist Richard Perlmutter, whose classical music children's album, "Beethoven's Wig: Sing-Along Symphonies," has become a surprise hit.”
— Lynne Heffley, Los Angeles Times
“Richard Perlmutter has created a fun, sing-along collection of songs, set to the work of master composers. The silly, clever lyrics appeal to younger listeners. The only fault listeners will find with the CD is that once they've heard how very big Beethoven's wig is (as well as lyrics in the 10 other classics), it'll be hard to hear the original works again without the words running through your head.”
— Chris J. Parker, Los Angeles Daily News
“Inspired and wildly imaginative, Beethoven's Wig is one of the best introductions to classical music you could give to your children.”
— Martin Keller, Amazon.com
