This page contains contents additional to those on the following pages:
Radio-TV sources page ___ Music types and sources ___ Media players ___ Short-wave radio.
It lists links of compilations of muscal works considered to be either the greatest or of the greatest importance by several organizations, including those chosen by National Public Radio. It's links provide extensive commentary and sound clips. I have listed also some individual pieces that I like. I have not listed some of these great works that I do not like.
In particular, I do not like music in which the performer screams rather than sings. That rules out most opera music (which one American diva has equated to controlled screaming), loud rock music, and all of the music of the screamer Ethel Merman, all of which share equal amounts of loud, mostly meaningless screaming and shouting.
My writings are in black. Plagiarized text is in maroon, sometimes highlighted by me in red.
Go Home. ___ For an overview index of this page and others, go to Links, by type of music.
Favorite sources of streaming audio
Elsewhere on this site I have provided many links to various sources of sound and TV on the Net. The problem is that they are listed under various categories, by type of programming. However, I shall soon provide here a centralized set of shortcut links to these. In the meantime, I shall now start building lists of sources, under several categories. This will reflect my own experience as to ease of use of various sources and differing media players, and will, no doubt, reflect some subjectivity on my part, in terms of technical quality, ease of use and access, and my particular musical tastes, which are not universal. (You will not, for example, find any favorite links to rap music, as I hate all of it! I am also not fond of the sound of jackhammers, singers who scream or slur their words (Bob Dylan), and screeching brakes. Yes, I'm biased!)
Here are some categories of, and links to, my favorites:
. . . Greatest works, with comments, general: Links to greatest works
. . . Greatest works, with comments, jazz
. . . Radio, classical ___ Radio, general ___ Radio, jazz ___ Radio, Czech ___ Radio, Latin America
. . . Radio tuners, classical ___ Radio tuners, general ___ Radio tuners, Czech ___ Radio tuners, Latin America
. . . Web radio, classical ___ Web radio, classical guitar ___ Web radio, general ___ Web radio, Latin America
. . . Media players page (Player10)
. . . . . . Audio
. . . . . . Media players and design flaws in general
. . . . . . Media players: sources and reviews
. . . . . . Media players, reviews
. . . . . . . . . Review of About Radio ___ Review of A&E Radio ___ Review of EarthLink Radio
. . . . . . . . . Review of Live 365 ___ Review of Lycos Radio ___ Review of mp3.com
. . . . . . . . . Review of MusicMatch Jukebox ___ Review of Netscape Radio ___ Review of Quicktime
. . . . . . . . . Review of RadioCentral ___ Review of RealOne Player
. . . . . . . . . Review of Scour Radio ___ Review of several media players
. . . . . . . . . Review of Sonicbox iM Tuner and iM Networks ___ Review of Sonique ___ Review of Spinner
. . . . . . . . . Review of UltraPlayer ___ Review of Winamp ___ Review of Microsoft Windows Media Player
. . . . . . . . . Review of Yahoo! Broadcast
. . . . . . Music technology
. . . . . . Remote Tuners
For now, at least, jazz is included in the category general, unless otherwise noted. Each of the following links has as its destination my summary (which should be quick to reach, as most are on this Page), and its final link to the remote source.
Greatest works, with comments, jazz
BBC - Radio 3 - Homepage ___ Cyberspace Sonata
KING.ORG and KING FM (Seattle) ___ Live365 - Radio Revolution
Live Radio Directories, Live TV, Web Radio, Web TV ___ SHOUTcast - HOME
WCPE - Beethovenfest! (Independent -- Raleigh-Durham, Chapel Hill, NC) ___ WindowsMedia.com ___ WQXR (NYC)
Cyberspace Sonata ___ Live365 - Radio Revolution
Live Radio Directories, Live TV, Web Radio, Web TV
SUNSET RADIO - Online Radio, TV, Newspapers & MP3 Index ___ WindowsMedia.com
Cyberspace Sonata ___ Jazz 88.3 FM WBGO (Newark Public Radio, NJ) ___ Jazz.fm91 (CJRT Toronto)
Live365 - Radio Revolution ___ Live Radio Directories, Live TV, Web Radio, Web TV ___ NPR Jazz
Cyberspace Sonata ___ Live365 - Radio Revolution
Live Radio Directories, Live TV, Web Radio, Web TV
SUNSET RADIO - Online Radio, TV, Newspapers & MP3 Index ___ WindowsMedia.com
Cyberspace Sonata ___ Live365 - Radio Revolution ___ WindowsMedia.com
Cyberspace Sonata ___ Live365 - Radio Revolution ___ WindowsMedia.com
Cyberspace Sonata ___ Live365 - Radio Revolution ___ WindowsMedia.com
Beethoven Radio (Hartford, Conn.) ___ Cyberspace Sonata ___ Live365 - Radio Revolution
Live Radio Directories, Live TV, Web Radio, Web TV ___ MostlyClassical (128 KB/sec.)
SHOUTcast - HOME ___ Sony Classical ___ UA School of Music (Alabama, 128 KB/sec.) ___ WindowsMedia.com
Classical Guitar Radio Station ___ Live365 - Radio Revolution
Cyberspace Sonata ___ Live365 - Radio Revolution
Live Radio Directories, Live TV, Web Radio, Web TV
Cyberspace Sonata ___ Live365 - Radio Revolution
Live Radio Directories, Live TV, Web Radio, Web TV ___ WindowsMedia.com
20 Best Rankings in Music Categories: http://www.20best.com/20best/music/Music.asp
Joel's Juke Joint: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/1025/music.html
The NPR 100: http://npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html National Public Radio. The 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Throughout the year 2000, NPR presented the stories behind 100 of the most important American musical works of the 20th century. These special features cover music from a wide variety of genres -- classical, jazz, rock'n'roll, country, R&B, musical theatre and film scores.
Below you'll find on-demand audio of three NPR feature stories . . . on the NPR 100, plus the complete NPR 100 list arranged alphabetically with the air date and the original audio of each piece. . . . and a list of 300 . . . See also: . . .
. . . NPR Jazz in The NPR 100: http://nprjazz.org/programs/npr100.html Throughout the year 2000 on NPR, we featured the stories behind the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century, as chosen by a panel of distinguished musicians and voted on by over 14,000 NPR listeners. Nearly a quarter of those essential recordings are jazz, so we've collected the NPR 100 jazz features below, with links to relevant information on our site and elsewhere on the Web.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#F National Public Radio (NPR). This piece of bluegrass music by Bill Monroe is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
Crazy -- Patsy Cline: http://www.trellis.net/users/gstarcher/patsy.htm Direct play. Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#C National Public Radio (NPR). This 1961 hit, written by Willie Nelson and sung by Patsy Cline, is the number one jukebox single of all time. It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
See also Django Reinhardt.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). This this jazz classic was written by pianist John Lewis, leader of The Modern Jazz Quartet, as a tribute to the late gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, acknowledged as the first European jazz star. It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#C National Public Radio (NPR). Written by banjo picker Earl Scruggs, this song was arguably the first tune that introduced wide audiences to bluegrass music. Popularized in the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde, the song established the leadership role of the banjo. It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
Real Audio Music: http://www.trellis.net/users/gstarcher/realplay.htm Foggy Mountain Breakdown, by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. Direct play. Real Audio.
Gone with the Wind (Film Score)
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#C National Public Radio (NPR). The music from one of the most popular American films of all time had a tremendous impact on movie scores in the decades following its 1939 release. Max Steiner's work is instantly recognized today and is emblematic of both musical scoring and the cinema itself. It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio, including the Tara Theme (near the end).
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). Born in New York, Ferde Grofe quit school at 13 and set off across the country on a series of odd jobs. He first saw the Grand Canyon on a 1916 trip with other workers and completed the Grand Canyon Suite in 1931. It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). When it came out as a single in 1954, this song, written by Willie Dixon and tracked by Muddy Waters, hovered near the top of the R&B charts for 13 weeks. . . . long career, Waters re-interpreted the song numerous times, each one capturing the changes in the blues. It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
"Hound Dog" & "Don't be Cruel"
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). First released in 1956 on opposite sides of one 45-rpm record, Elvis Presley's two hit singles shot to top of the popular-music charts and fostered the birth of rock and roll. It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . various interpretations of George and Ira Gershwin's classic "I Got Rhythm." In analyzing the version recorded by classical composer William Bolcom, Hilgart explores jazz composition, songwriting, and the 12-bar blues. It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . the story of Johhny Cash's first big hit. It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . the story of this Hank Williams song which, recorded in 1949, foreshadows Williams' death at age 29. Adams travels to Oak Hill West Virginia, where Williams died in a 1953 car accident. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . Glenn Miller's 1939 recording of the swing classic. . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . This sentimental tune was a favorite of the folk and blues artist Leadbelly. In the 1930s, the fabled enertainer used it to open and close most of his concerts, in a conscious attempt to soften his rough-hewn image. In 1950, Pete Seeger revived the song and turned it into a major pop hit. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . Charlie Parker and his group were attempting a cover of the popular jazz tune "Cherokee" when the session producer asked Bird to do a different song due to copyright issues. His variation became "Koko," a song that almost single-handedly gave rise to bebop. Tom Vitale has an appreciation of Parker's breathless, breakneck jazz classic. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . Duke Ellington was a master at creating an element of surprise in his compositions. The unique voicing of instruments on "Mood Indigo" is an example of the composer's subtle sophistication.. . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . One note, repeated 35 times over eight bars of music. That's the unlikely beginning to one of the greatest love ballads ever written. Cole Porter once claimed to have referenced a Moroccan prayer call when writing the song, or . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . The Broadway musical Oklahoma!, premiered in 1943, and was expected to flop. Richard Rodgers wrote it without his long-time lyricist Lorenzo Hart (its librettist, Oscar Hammerstein, was only, at that time, famous for his failures). . . . the show did a little better than expected: it launched a revolution in American musical theater and turned a huge profit. . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . . Written by the late Latin jazz percussionist Tito Puente, "Oye Como Va" reached its widest audience when it was recorded by the San Francisco rock band Santana. Their 1970 album Abraxas spent six weeks at the top of Billboard's Album Chart and thirty weeks in the Top Ten. "Oye Como Va" got significant Top 40 airplay, helping solidify Carlos Santana's place in history as one of the fathers of Latin rock. . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . Buddy Holly's classic tune "Peggy Sue" didn't begin life as a keeper at all. It wasn't until the Crickets added a few paradiddles and changed the chorus from "Cindy Lou" to "Peggy Sue" that the song finally made it out of the studio onto the charts. . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . an appreciation of this classic Gershwin brothers opera. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho created an entertainment sensation . . . Using only strings due to a tight production budget, composer Bernard Hermann created a soundtrack to accompany the horror on screen that was equally terrifying. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . Guitarist Jimi Hendrix wrote Purple Haze on December 26, 1966, during a gig at a club in London. He said that the lyrics were based on a dream he had after reading a science fiction novel. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . the story of George Gershwin's most identifiable masterpiece. At age 25, Gershwin took only three weeks to compose one of the most enduring pieces of American music. Used for the film score to Woody Allen's Manhattan, this episodic and jazzy one-movement piano concerto evokes the hustle-bustle of New York's grand metropolitan aura. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . Thelonious Monk probably composed this song in 1938, though no one knows for sure as it comes early in Monk's career when he worked in relative obscurity. Monk soon became known as a great jazz innovator, one of a small group of musicians who were part of the bebop revolution of the 1940s. His piano playing and compositions were challenging and inspiring to peers like Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane. He was known for angular melodies with odd stops and starts and dissonant clusters of notes. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . Bobby Troup wrote it, Nat King Cole sang it, and it became a classic. Route 66 is the most famous highway in American transportation history. But its representation in this hit song is only one part of the song's musical success. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . W.C. Handy, a middle-class African American, wrote "St. Louis Blues" in 1914, a time when Tin Pan Alley's popular songs began to fuse with folklore to explore the blues, the form that led to the full-fledged birth of American jazz. NPR's Margaret Howze reports on the song's background and its definitive 1925 recording by Bessie Smith with cornet accompaniment by Louis Armstrong. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . the song's origins, which are shrouded in folklore. When the song was actually written, and for what purpose, remains unknown, even though it is sometimes called Hollywood's finest work. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . . Steve Cropper, guitarist with Booker T & the MG's and co-writer of "Dock of the Bay", tells . . . about the creation of Otis Redding's last and biggest hit and the struggle to finish it after the singer's untimely death. . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . . the story of "Star Dust," written by Hoagy Carmichael in 1927 while he was attending Indiana University. The song started off as an up-tempo dance instrumental but later, as its popularity grew, lyrics were added and the rhythm of "Star Dust" slowed to a ballad. . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
Real Audio Music: http://www.trellis.net/users/gstarcher/realplay.htm Stardust, by Artie Shaw. Direct play. Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . Igor Stravinsky wrote his "Symphony of Psalms" in 1929 for the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony. In 1999, Time magazine named it the best piece of the century. Like most of Stravinsky's music, it created a fresh kind of beauty while stretching the boundaries of the genre. . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . The best-selling jazz single of the century came very close to not getting released at all, but "Take Five" by the Dave Brubeck Quartet turned out to be one for the ages. The song's catchy, syncopated melody has lured countless music lovers to jazz. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . In 1938, Billy Strayhorn, a Pittsburgh soda jerk, drugstore delivery boy, and composer in his free time, knocked out this classic. When he swung a meeting with jazz great Duke Ellington, however, a professional composing career finally became a reality. With vision, Ellington turned his song, about one of New York's unreliable subways to Harlem and Sugar Hill, into a famed jazz standard. . . . a bold kid who dared to challenge the great Duke Ellington and, in turn, became one of his closest friends. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio. Excellent music and story!
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . the story behind this transformational Stevie Wonder album, a touchstone for the artist that he has often referred back to throughout his long career. It represents Wonder's professional and musical coming of age in the early 1970s when he abandoned the Motown hit-making formula that had defined his sound and witnessed the emergence of his more holistic approach to making records as a singer, writer and producer. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio. Excellent music and story!
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). . . . the Crescent City of New Orleans in search of the jazz masterpiece "West End Blues." Joe King Oliver wrote the song, but it was Louis Armstrong's 1928 recording that put . . . it in the jazz pantheon. . . . It is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
The NPR 100: http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html#D National Public Radio (NPR). This piece of music recorded by the The Carter Family is listed by NPR as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century. Extensive commentary and clips, in Real Audio.
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You can e-mail me at waynerp@sympatico.ca