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Introducing Yourself to Classical Music

A Beginners Approach to Classical Music

By Aaron Green, About.com

Getting into classical music can be a challenging task, especially for those who are unfamiliar with Bach, Mozart, and even Beethoven. Luckily, thanks to the marvels of modern technology, something that was once time consuming and rather daunting, is now as simple as pushing a button. These few, but simple tips, can open up an abundance of classical music for you to listen, examine, and enjoy.

Tip #1

  • Napster: My number one choice for finding music, I use Napster every day. You can find just about anything you want here - Bach, Mozart, Liszt, Beethoven, Handel, etc... You can search by artist, composer, title, and album. Napster also offers a classical music radio - a large list of randomly selected classical works. Of coarse for this wonderful service, you'll have to pay about $10 a month, but it's well worth it.
Tip #2
  • iTunes: If I find a song or an album I really like on Napster, in most cases, I can buy it directly from iTunes and transfer it to my iPod or burn it to a CD to listen to in the car. Unlike Napster, iTunes offers 30 second audio clips to preview your selected song - that's because you're not paying iTunes $10 a month to use, it's free.
Tip #3
  • When you're out shopping at Wal-Mart, Target, K Mart, Best Buy, or any other major retailer, you can find great classical music compilation CDs. These CDs usually feature "Most Popular" works and "Greatest Works of All Time" spanning the many periods and styles of classical music. You're sure to find something you'll like on one of these albums, in which case you can begin searching for other works by the same composer.
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