A Gift from Canada

February 10, 2009 7:32 AM

Feel like listening to a concert tonight? Something classical? Or maybe folk is a bit more your style? World? Jazz? Nearly every day, two or three more live concert recordings are added to CBC Radio2's 'Concerts on Demand' library, with nearly 900 concerts now in the list. Each concert is given just as presented live, and you can either stream the whole thing, or choose track by track. Timings are given for all the music, and photo galleries and full descriptions and credits round it all off. All in all, it's a fabulous presentation, and there is more music here than you will ever be able to keep up with!
posted by woodblock100 (22 comments total)

Excellent post, a bummer that there is no option to download the music :(
posted by zouhair at 7:43 AM on February 10, 2009

Access to the CBC is one of the best things about having broadband.
posted by Sassenach at 7:58 AM on February 10, 2009

WOW! That's great. Thanks!
posted by nnk at 8:11 AM on February 10, 2009

Bless the CBC.

(A download option would bring up all sorts of rights issues.)
posted by nosila at 8:19 AM on February 10, 2009

Nice link: good music + free + no sign up + no player to download = awesome.
posted by LooseFilter at 8:43 AM on February 10, 2009

So having filtered by Pop/Rock and scratching my head at most of the names any recommendations as to bands/concerts worth listening to that those of us outside Canada migh not know but probably will love?
posted by Gratishades at 8:49 AM on February 10, 2009

Suggestion from a fanboy: Buck 65 with Symphony Nova Scotia - Canadian hip-hop weirdo combined with some fantastic live symphonic stylings, and some interesting back-story stuff mixed in.

And if you really want these on-the-go, look around for "asx ripper," and you'll find some freeware that could help you. Or so I've heard.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:03 AM on February 10, 2009 [2 favorites]

Thank you.
posted by aught at 9:23 AM on February 10, 2009

Thanks Canada!
posted by sektah at 9:35 AM on February 10, 2009

Oh my, coolness...bless you to pieces
posted by dawson at 9:59 AM on February 10, 2009

Damn. Now that you've blabbed this to the world, I won't be able to stream them as easily.

One of my favourites: Art Of Time Ensemble with Steven Page. Don't ask, don't google, just LISTEN.
posted by Artful Codger at 10:05 AM on February 10, 2009

Wonderful! Now on me toolbar.... and I think Downloadhelper (firefox) might make short work of it....
posted by drhydro at 10:35 AM on February 10, 2009

Thanks.
posted by From Bklyn at 11:13 AM on February 10, 2009

Wowiewowow!
posted by pyrex at 11:25 AM on February 10, 2009

This is glorious. Thank you!
posted by Lemurrhea at 12:24 PM on February 10, 2009

All in all, it's a fabulous presentation

You're not kidding. They make it so easy; that option to jump to specific songs is wonderful and the searching is easy. Just a great job all around. Nice to see some modern, more angular stuff, too.

Art Of Time Ensemble with Steven Page. Don't ask, don't google, just LISTEN.

That was ok. Heavily arranged pop tunes in a violin/cello/piano context, nice but nothing astonishing. Probably better live.
posted by mediareport at 3:21 PM on February 10, 2009

Wonderful! Now on me toolbar.... and I think Downloadhelper (firefox) might make short work of it....

Alas, no, as the recordings are presented as Windows Media Player ASX streaming links, not flash applets. However, VLC or mplayer are your friend...
posted by Jimbob at 4:29 PM on February 10, 2009

Now that you've blabbed this to the world, I won't be able to stream them as easily.

Yeah, I kind of thought about that too, but hey, if nobody uses this service, I'm sure it would be cancelled ... And they themselves are promoting it pretty heavily, so I presume they've got the horses under the hood to handle whatever comes their way ...
posted by woodblock100 at 6:48 PM on February 10, 2009

I heart government monies spent on Canadian arts! We rock!
posted by five fresh fish at 7:23 PM on February 10, 2009

Consider this Canada's reparations for Nickleback.
posted by mazola at 10:01 PM on February 10, 2009

Alas, we shall never be able to make adequate amends for Celine.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:56 PM on February 10, 2009

Skydiggers, Daniel Lanois, Cowboy Junkies... any way to just hit "shuffle", 'cause there's too much good stuff here.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 7:26 AM on February 11, 2009