What is classical music? There is not one set definition, at least one that satisfies everyone. On one hand, Wikipedia defines it as "a tradition of art music in the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk or popular music." Britannica.com calls classical music "a broad tradition of Western music that emphasizes formal composition, technical skill, and expressive depth." Writer and violinist Lowell Hohstadt points out that "the term "Classical Music" has come to be known as a term for a genre of music that spans the course of hundreds of years, including all the music from Palestrina to Stravinsky, to the current day. Many people are unaware that Classical music is still being composed today, although it is far different than what was created several hundred years ago."
Regardless of how it's defined, we are celebrating Classical Music Month in September by highlighting the many music CDs, DVDs, resources and books that feature classical music in the Johnson County Library collection. For starters, if you're classical-curious, our Naxos resources have everything you need to play, listen and learn.
Naxos Music Library is the world's most extensive online classical music library. The collection includes over 195,000 discs and 3 million tracks, composer biographies, guides by era and country, and dictionaries and pronunciation guides. Stream from a web browser or sign into the NML mobile app.
Naxos MusicBox is a kid-friendly introduction to music theory, instruments, composers and more. Bite-sized lessons feature interactive elements and activities to learn about music from around the world and through time. Great for beginners as kids or adults.
Naxos Sheet Music Library has sheet music for various genres with emphasis on classical composers from the 19th and 20th centuries. This collection has 45,000 arrangements by instrument, vocal part, genre and era.
Naxos Video Library provides an extensive collection of over 3,600 full-length videos featuring classical music performances, opera, ballet, live concerts, documentaries and master classes by world-famous musicians. Search videos by category, role, composer, artist production personnel, work, venue or festival. Subtitles available in over five languages.
For a deeper dive, explore the history, composers and multiple facets of this music through books: https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/display/74157559/3100840427
