Call me old fashioned, but I still like my CD's (and LPs and tapes), but I'm currently exploring online streaming options that I can share with my students. Ideally, I'd like a service that will include all the requisite recordings of chant, polyphony, and instrumental classics from ancient to modern and would allow me to create a play list that I can share with my students for listening assignments for a music history/appreciation class.
The last time I taught the course I used a book published by Norton that included a key code that allowed them to access the Norton Anthology online, but I'm trying a different book next year that doesn't have any specific recording companion.
I could still have them purchase the Norton Access for $50 for the semester, but I'm trying to save them money. Although free, I'd rather not just use YouTube, but am considering Naxos, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon, (others to consider?) -which one would you recommend? Short of subscribing to all of them and testing them out I don't know which ones will include all the music and features I am looking for.
I used Naxos in college/grad school, and while I never really played with playlists, I know it's possible. The selection is stellar, too!
Spotify is also wonderful. There are holes, of course, in the selection (as in Naxos and any other service, I'm sure), but a lot of gems there, too. Playlists are available and shareable, though I am not a paid subscriber so I don't know what is available for that, but I hear there are no ads. I also don't know if you can have a group subscription, like you can in Naxos.
There are good things with these services, for those who by necessity must move beyond CD libraries.
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