Free Classical Downloads

A British violinist makes her next album available as a free download, taking inspiration from Radiohead. But can it have the same effect?

What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, it would appear. But will what worked for Radiohead also work for classical music?   Violinist Tasmin Little is hoping so. From next Monday she’s making her new album, The Naked Violin, available for free download from her site, according to a Reuters report.   She hopes that the free download of the album, which comprises three unaccompanied violin pieces, will help kick-start an interest in classicalmusic.   "I’ve done this with no intention of making money, but I feel very strongly that classical music suffers from misperceptions, and someone should be doing something real aboutit," she told the news agency.   However, there are differences. Radiohead were already massively popular when they made In Rainbows available for download on a pay-what-you-want basis, anda recently-issued physical version immediately topped the British album charts. The band was also without a record label, by choice. While Little might be known in classical circles, she’s nota household name, and she continues to also record for labels.     However, it does address the fact that, more and more, downloads look like the primary way of consuming music.