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Classically Silly: 'Beethoven's Wig' Returns!

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. Now, a sequel to a seriously silly CD again offers both the silly and the serious in equal doses.

In Beethoven's Wig 2, composer Richard Perlmutter again takes on some of the world's most famous classical tunes, and adds fun lyrics to the music. Parents report that their kids love to sing along. And the best part? They don't know they're learning a little bit about the wider world of classical music -- or they're having too much fun to care.

Should the lyrics not provide enough tidbits of learning, sprinkled throughout the liner notes of Beethoven's Wig 2 are classical music quizzes. The CD has been nominated for a 2005 Grammy Award for children's music -- NPR's Renee Montagne talks to Perlmutter about his strategy for success and silliness.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Renee Montagne, one of the best-known names in public radio, is a special correspondent and host for NPR News.