How to Find Classical Music with Lyrics

How to find classical music with lyrics can be easy when you know where to look. Check out these five resources to get started.

Introduction

One of the best ways to appreciate classical music is to listen to it with lyrics. While this type of music is often thought of as being “old-fashioned” or “boring,” there are actually many classical songs with lyrics that are both beautiful and moving. If you’re looking for classical music with lyrics, there are a few different ways to find it.

One option is to search for “classical music with lyrics” on a streaming service like Spotify or Apple Music. This will bring up a variety of songs and albums that you can listen to for free. You can also try searching for specific songs or composers that you’re interested in.

Another option is to look for recordings of classical music with lyrics on YouTube. There are many videos of live performances as well as studio recordings available to watch for free. You can also find some helpful tips and analysis in YouTube videos about specific pieces of classical music.

If you want to purchase recordings of classical music with lyrics, you can find them online or in most music stores. CDs and digital downloads are usually reasonably priced, and you’ll be able to listen to the music as often as you like. You can also find some more unusual recordings, such as those made by modern performers, on sites like Bandcamp.

What is Classical Music?

Classical music is a genre of art music that typically employs recitative, which is an especially dialogue-like type of singing. It is often sung in operas, oratorios, and cantatas, and sometimes in secular music. It derives from the Medieval Latin term for “plainchant” or “singing in unison”.

The Classical Period

The Classical period was an era of classical music between roughly 1730 to 1820. The Classical period falls between the Baroque and the Romantic periods. Classical music has a lighter, clearer texture than Baroque music and is less complex. It is mainly homophonic, using a clear melody line over a subordinate chordal accompaniment, but counterpoint was by no means forgotten, especially later in the period.

The major Comic operas of the Classical period were those of Mozart, such as The Marriage of Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni (1787) and Così fan tutte (1790), and his debts to comedy are evident in several of his later works, such as The Magic Flute (1791). Classical instrumental music was largely dominated by Arcangelo Corelli, Antonio Vivaldi in Venice and spread throughout Europe through the activities of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig.

The Romantic Period

The Romantic period was from roughly 1815 to 1910. It was a time when composers expressed their feelings in their music, rather than sticking to the traditional rules of music. Some of the most famous Romantic composers are Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic Chopin, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

The Modern Period

The Modern Period of classical music is conventionally taken to date from the fall of Napoleon in 1815 to the beginning of World War I in 1914. This period was one of dramatic change in which the harmonic, melodic, and structural conventions developed during the previous centuries began to break down. Many composers of this period were influenced by non-Western musical traditions, especially those of Russia and the Far East. Among these were Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and Alexander Borodin, whose work helped found the group known as “The Five” or “The Mighty Handful.” This group was dedicated to a nationalist reinterpretation of Russian music. Other important figures in the development of Russian music include Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

In Western Europe, Richard Wagner was a controversial figure who influenced many other composers with his ideas about music dramas or “music dramas,” which he called Gesamtkunstwerke (total artworks). These were works for the stage that included not only music, but also poetry, drama, visual arts, and sometimes even dance. Wagner’s work had a profound impact on later composers such as Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss. Another important figure from this period is Claude Debussy, whose compositions were inspired by Impressionism and Japanese music.

How to Find Classical Music with Lyrics

If you are looking for classical music with lyrics, there are a few ways that you can go about it. You can search for it on the internet, look for it in music stores, or ask around for recommendations. Let’s take a look at each of these methods in more detail.

Online Databases

There are many online databases that classical music lovers can use to find songs with lyrics. One such database is the Choral Public Domain Library, which contains over 3,000 pieces of choral music arranged by voice type, occasion, and genre. Another useful database is the CPDL LiederNet Archive, which includes over 5,000 songs in a variety of languages. Finally, the vocal solo repertoire database on the International Music Score Library Project website contains over 22,000 pieces of music for solo voice and piano.

Print Resources

One of the best ways to find classical music with lyrics is to consult print resources. There are a number of good reference books available that can help you locate the music you’re looking for. The following are some titles that may be helpful:

-The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Classical Music
-The New Grove Dictionary of Opera
-The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians

These dictionaries can be found in most libraries, and they provide detailed information about specific composers, works, and performers. They also include a subject index that can be used to locate music by topic.

Another good resource is The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and DVDs, which provides critical reviews of recordings of classical music. The guide is published annually, and it includes a CD with selected tracks from each recording that is reviewed.

Audio and Video Resources

There are many ways to find classical music with lyrics. One way is to look for online audio and video resources. These can be found by searching for “classical music with lyrics” on a search engine such as Google or Yahoo. Another way is to look for websites that specialize in this type of music. One such website is www.learnaboutmusic.com. Finally, you can also ask your local librarian for help in finding resources.

Conclusion

We hope this guide has helped you in your search for classical music with lyrics. There are many great resources available, and with a little perseverance, you should be able to find what you’re looking for. If you still have trouble, consider asking a music librarian or music store clerk for assistance.