There are many websites which allow free downloads of digitised files of Western Classical music. These files can be downloaded and played on electronic multimedia. With technological progress, music has been digitised into WAV, MIDI and MP3 formats. MIDI files can be played on Microsoft Media Player (installed with Windows) while MP3 files require REAL PLAYER (free download from MP3.com).
PLEASE NOTE: Although the quality of digitised music is improving, it remains at best an imitation of a live performance.
Predictably, MP3.com has the largest collection of MP3 files of western classical music. The easy-to-use site is goldmine for the MP3 loyalist.
The Classical MIDI Archives contain probably the best and largest collection of western classical files on the web. The site also has a special collection of Mozart's works. The site is maintained by a Pierre R. Schwob.
Midiworld.com has a large collection of MIDI files. Notably, The Mozart Page contains a good selection of works sequenced by some of the best musicians on the Net. A very efficient site but check for Media Player compatibility.
The Classical Music MIDI Page contains MIDI files that can be downloaded individually, in one large .zip archive (1.2 Mb) or in several smaller .zip files.
The Mozart Experience is a good website for studying the life and music of Mozart. The site has MIDI files in QuickTime format. Unfortunately, some of the MIDI links are not working.
