Chicago Classical Music

Like Jim Ginsburg (10/22 post), I've lately been thinking about the classical recording industry and resources available online for new listeners.

In his article "The Well-Tempered Web" (The New Yorker, October 22nd), Alex Ross explores how the internet has provided an outlet for classical musicians, enthusiasts, composers and administrators to share ideas and that this information can help people who are new to classical music.

He writes that the classical record business is not dead, as is evident from the new recordings and extensive back catalog reissues available in CD and MP3 format on iTunes, ArkivMusic, Amazon and the Naxos label. People, especially new listeners, can browse these sites, sample recordings and explore classical music without feeling intimidated by the genre. Let's face it, this music can be intimidating to people who are not familiar with it.

Well produced podcasts and downloads available on symphony and opera web sites can also help people who are new to classical music and can enrich the concert-going experience for seasoned listeners. Ross highlights the San Francisco Symphony's Keeping Score broadcasts and online pages of music and scores as a prime example of this.

My iPod is full to capacity with a wide variety of music. I like to hear samples of classical music I may not be familiar with before I make a purchase and also use the internet to explore new music and back catalogs. Additionally, even as a seasoned listener, I find some classical podcasts helpful. For example, I am not familiar with some operas I am going see at Lyric this season, so Lyric's behind-the-scenes podcast discussions with the artists enrich my opera-going experience.

And you? How do you enrich your listening experiences using the internet? Do you think that the prevalence of classical music and information about this music on the web aids in the demystification of the genre?

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