Musopen is an online music library of copyright free (public domain) music. It includes recordings and scores.
Type of Material:
HTML and Adobe Flash.
Recommended Uses:
As a source of sound recordings and scores for applied music, theory and history students. Teachers can embed the recording into their own web pages or download the MP3 files. The scores can be downloaded as PDF.
Technical Requirements:
A browser with Flash and multimedia support.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
A source for scores and recordings.
Target Student Population:
College and university students.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
The ability to read music for the scores. None for listening.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
There is an impressive amount of recordings of Beethoven music. Beethovens piano sonatas are all available. The quality of the recordings is good although there are no recordings by well known artists. The available scores are also of good quality.
Concerns:
The collection is not very large, there are just a few pieces of most composers, Beethoven being the exception.
You are supposed to be able to listen to the scores while listening, but I always get an error. They are available for downloading as PDF which works fine.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
It offers recordings and scores free of charge to students. Musopen is a good supplement to college library holdings and is especially useful for music theory students for analysis.
Concerns:
The score is not always available. The play along scores do not seem to work.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Very easy to use.
Concerns:
The scores section may be somewhat difficult to find. It is not very clear that there are two main sections: recordings and scores.
Other Issues and Comments:
None.
Creative Commons:
Search by ISBN?
It looks like you have entered an ISBN number. Would you like to search using what you have
entered as an ISBN number?
Searching for Members?
You entered an email address. Would you like to search for members? Click Yes to continue. If no, materials will be displayed first. You can refine your search with the options on the left of the results page.
Searching for Members?
You entered an email address. Would you like to search for members? Click Yes to continue. If no, materials will be displayed first. You can refine your search with the options on the left of the results page.
