Sweet Dreams I Collection of lullabies and other pieces for babies and children Nana or Canción de Cuna, Wiegenlied or Schlummerlied, Berceuse, Cradle Song…Every European language has one or two names for those nice melodies that we sing to our babies. Singing has been a favourite form of communication with newborns in many cultures throughout the ages. We sing to our children to calm and pamper them. Some lullabies have come from oral tradition, others from an artistic influence, since many classical music composers wrote cradle songs. Those evocative melodies a mother would sing to her baby while rocking him in her arms or in the cradle have been great inspirations for many composers, so much that they have become a musical genre. Some lullabies are quite famous, like Wiegenlied by Brahms. The main features of this genre are a sweet, tender melody and a smooth swinging rhythm that encourages the baby to relax and fall asleep. The even rhythm of a lullaby is like a mother’s heart beating in the womb for the baby. The swing reminds him of feeling safe, protected and content. We hope this CD to be both an artistic and helpful work. The pieces included have been chosen for their particular beauty and tenderness. Most of them are songs, that is, pieces originally composed for voice and piano, but adapted for cello in this case. We wanted to include some original work for cello and piano, a few arrangements, and even a lullaby specially composed for this collection. We are sure that it is a selection of calming, pleasant and suitable pieces. The cello, because of its smooth, warm sound, is considered the best substitute of the human voice. The piano is the accompanying instrument par excellence, as well as the best complement to the cello. Both instruments have great expressive possibilities. This collection is for parents who wish to offer their children the best music and culture to develop their children’s sensitivity and emotional peace. Although Sweet Dreams I is conceived for the early days, we think it is also very suitable for children of any age, including grown-ups! Try it to relax and sleep better. We recommend you set your volume low and enjoy. Mª Ángeles Villamor and M. Martín Acevedo are partners in music and life. Martín composed Canción de Duna in August 2010. Mª Ángeles was five-months pregnant during this recording. They had a baby recently and would like to dedicate this CD to their daughter. Duna was born in February 2011, few months after finishing this recording. Text: M. Martín Acevedo Translation: Kate Till