“The way the formats are set up for iTunes is to chop things up into little component parts,” says composer David Lang in an article by John Pancake in Wednesday’s (1/4) Wall Street Journal. “For many listeners,” writes Pancake, “the iTunes system violates the key to enjoying much of classical music: appreciating how big chunks of music build into a larger structure…. iTunes works best with music divided into songs and classical tracks don’t easily fit into that cataloging system…. An iPod or MP3 player sorts music primarily by artist, album title and track name … a problem for classical tracks where people care more about the composer than the performer.” The article cites innovations by Gracenote, a California-based business that created a new labeling formula, and music-streaming services by Naxos Classics Online and Classical Archives. Still, the article says, “iTunes is the tool of choice for most digital music collectors. Several classical fans and music-industry insiders say iTunes has gotten better in recent months. Apple has tweaked iTunes in the past few years to make it friendlier toward classical recordings. Users can now keep music from being part of any shuffle. You can also elect to have a work play continuously, without a gap between movements.”
Posted January 6, 2012
