At Trevor’s invitation (prodding), I signed up for eMusic’s “50-free-download” offer and I began to explore their offerings. Unfortunately, I find that most of the music in which I might be interested, I’ve already bought; and much of the rest doesn’t appear in their repertoire. I’ll probably fill out my Sleater-Kinney collection, and maybe download more Rainer Maria (in honor of Trevor, who gave me one of their disks) — but they don’t offer a complete enough selection to keep me interested once I use up my freebies.
Later: I’ve culled a couple of my favorite Baroque numbers by Henry VIII (not just because he instigated the English Reformation) — but songs for which I’ve been searching high and low in the reputable corners of the online music world (including Freda Payne’s “Band of Gold,” for heavne’s sake, but also Tom Robinson’s “1967 (Seems So Long Ago)” from the Secret Policeman’s Ball album, and various other test case albums and singles) just don’t show up.
Later still: Audioscrobbler thinks I’ll like Yo La Tengo, so I’ll test-drive eMusic with I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One.
Gosh, AKMA, I used to own the Secret Policeman‚Äôs Ball album, but I sold it years ago (along with the rest of my vinyl) to some used record store in New Haven. Perhaps it’s still there.
Fritz
Professor/Father Adam: While we may agree that Henry VIII was a gifted musician and monarch, if not husband, he did not compose “Baroque” music. I think it more correct to term it “Renaissance” or perhaps, more fittingly, “Tudor” music.
I am a devoted lay reader of your blog. Were that you King of the Episcopalian realm in these troubled times.
Duh! Absolutely — what threw me was that Henry was catalogued under “Baroque” in the eMusic taxonomy. My careless error.
Manyt thanks for your kind words, though one would have to wonder whether wishing that someone were “King of the Episcopalians” in these interesting days amounts to a compliment or a curse!