This site offers a library of early music performances in a MIDI format. MIDI files are offered for a wide number of composers from the mediaeval and rennaissance periods.
Type of Material:
A web site dedicated to early music and MIDI performances of early works. Some descriptive information is also available.
Recommended Uses:
Historical overview of early music.
Technical Requirements:
Up to date multimedia browser capable of performing MIDI files.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Familiarity with early music literature, its context and authentic sound.
Target Student Population:
Music students of all ages. Of particular interest to music and literature students.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
None but a familiarity with early music history would enrich the listening.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This is a single site that offers a broad overview of prominent early music compositions. A good attempt at imitating early music instrument sounds is made using the standard general midi library.
Concerns:
MIDI performances are not capable of creating the instrumental qualities of early music. Performance practice of the time is also difficult to imitate in a MIDI performance. Choral compositions do not map well into MIDI where the text may be a central component of the performance.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
This is a centralized site for a student to gain a quick overview of the compositional practice from these early periods. The site offers examples from a wide range of known composers.
Concerns:
The performance practice for these periods are compromised some by the MIDI performances. Although historical accuracy is not exactly known live performances would allow for a wider range of performance expression. Therefore this site works much better as a source of compositional practice rather than performance practice of the period.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The site is quite transparent and easy to navigate.
Concerns:
None
Other Issues and Comments:
None
Creative Commons:
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