Classical Music Library (CML) allows you to listen to thousands of classical music tracks online. It also provides full text biographical and reference materials--information about composers and their works.

Tips/hints/features:

• There is no charge whatsoever to listen to the recordings provided through CML. The University provides the ability to listen to these recordings in order to support its curriculum. CML also offers a fee based download & CD service should you choose to utilize it. Do not be confused or misled by the fee-based services--it is free to listen to the recordings.
• For works that are presented in multiple parts, you can play each section individually by clicking the play icons for each section or play the entire work by clicking the play icon labeled "Play whole work" that appears at the end (bottom) of the listing .
• Within the database, you can select the Reference tab to find biographical information about particular composers. This same information is also available when searching works (performances); this information is linked by clicking on the composer's name within the search results. Additionally, when you are viewing a listing of work, there is a link for textual information about the work itself. The Information link is labeled with an "i" just to the right of the link to play the piece.
• When browsing for a specific work, do not confuse the terms composer, artist, and conductor. You will typically be looking by composer.

Composer: The person who wrote (composed) the music, e.g., Beethoven, Bach, Mozart. Although they may have also conducted performances in their day, they are not the conductors of their works on the recordings within the CML; therefore, you will not find works by a given composer by looking under conductor. Similarly, you will not find them under "artist;" that term is explained next.

Artist: A specific musician or singer who performs on a recording. For example, Trevor Pinnock playing the harpsichord or Helen Watts singing. Do not think of the composer as the artist. Mozart, etc., are not listed as artists (performers).

Conductor: The person conducting the performance of a specific recording. Again, many composers such as Beethoven were, in fact, also conductors, but not on modern recordings.

EXAMPLE RECORDING as shown in Classical Music Library (CML):

The following example represents a recording of Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. The composer is Leonard Bernstein. CML allows you to listen to the recording (free) and also provides textual information about the composer and this specific work.