Mozart's Magic Flute
Company: Music Games International, P.O. Box 1376, Amherst, MA 01004
Price: $20-single copy price.
Audience: Reviewer recommends K-5.
Format: CD-ROM: text, video, animation, audio.
Minimum System Requirements: Windows systems: Pentium 360 MHz, 64 MB RAM, Windows 98, sound and video cards, monitor, speakers, and CD-ROM drive.
Description: A series of interactive adventure games featuring the music of Mozart.
Reviewer Comments:
Installation: I used this title on a Compaq Presario computer running Windows ME. The installation was simple and quick. Installation Rating: A
Content/Features: Mozart's Magic Flute provides a variety of musical games, including music jigsaw puzzles and riddles; music trivia and an animated musical encyclopedia; the story of The Magic Flute; and a biography of Mozart. The company's Web site provides online links to support the music curriculum.
The Magic Flute game requires the user to get through the gates of a magical kingdom to save a prince and princess by completing a variety of tasks. The level of difficulty increases as the user demonstrates success.
To get through the gates, students must solve the Tree and Pond games. The Tree Game matches brief musical compositions in their original format. The Pond Game is a matching game in which students locate identical instruments by their picture and the sound they make.
Sixteen music jigsaw puzzles present musical compositions and ask the user to identify musical instruments by the sounds they make when played. Puzzles are available both at easy and advanced levels.
An animated Encyclopedia of Musical Instruments introduces a visual image and provides a realistic sound clip.
A Music Trivia Game provides the opportunity to recall the factual information presented throughout the adventure. Items collected in a magic bag may be revisited to assist in answering the questions.
The story behind The Magic Flute opera is provided in text and narration. A biography, provided in text and audio, provides information on the life and accomplishments of the composer Mozart.
A Help button gives audio instructions on how each game is played. Hints are sometimes provided when the user is experiencing difficulty completing a task. The program is very forgiving and allows numerous opportunities to reach a correct solution.
The sound quality is impressive. Students are able to hear authentic soundtracks from the composer's works.
The games offer challenges at various levels. Some are quite difficult. The music jigsaw puzzles, for example, ask students to identify three instruments playing a particular excerpt from the composer's works. The user is given many opportunities to solve the task. I found that even I needed extra time to accomplish mastery. The Fireplace Game was especially difficult, requiring the user to identify a piece of music that had been altered from the original.
In a music classroom, the program would provide several weeks of intensive instruction in a fun and engaging way. Due to the complex nature of the content, I would introduce the software using whole group instruction. Once students are familiar with the instruments and music, I would provide opportunities for students to explore the games at their own pace.
At the end of the study, reviewing the software once again with the whole class would be a useful activity to complete the unit on each composer. Afterward, throughout the school year, students should be given opportunities to explore the software on their own in the computer lab or individual classrooms. Content/Features Rating: A
Ease of Use: This is a very easy program to navigate. The Help button is available at all times to remind the students of their task. The Magic Bag where items are collected once a game is mastered provides reinforcement and easy access. Ease of Use Rating: A
Product Support: The Help features contained within the software provide user support. Technical support is available through the company's Web site. Some play hints are offered online; e-mail support inquiries are accepted through the Web site. At the time of this review, no phone numbers (for help or sales) appeared on the Web site. There were no printed materials accompanying the software. Product Support Rating: A-
Recommendation: I was absolutely delighted by this software and cannot think of a better way to teach music appreciation to young learners! The animated graphics are colorful and lively and are sure to please children of all ages. The major strength of this program is the rich content presented in an interactive game format.
Every music teacher should have a copy of all of the offerings in this series. At the present time, three programs are available: Mozart's Magic Flute, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, and Alice in Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
Overall, the software is creative, artistic, and captivating. What a wonderful way to present the works of famous composers! Every elementary school should make this software an integral part of its music program. Outstanding!
Reviewer: Sally Finley, Technology Specialist, Country Hills Elementary School, 10550 Westview Drive, Coral Springs, FL 33076; 954/341-0460; sallyfinley l@yahoo.com.
NOVEMBERIDECEMBER 2003 MULTIMEDIA SCHOOLS