Editing Classical Archives (section)

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Advert|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox online service
| name = Classical Archives LLC
| image = [[File:ClassicalArchivesScreenShot.png|301px]]
| caption  = Classical Archives Homepage, June 21, 2010
| launched = {{start date and age|2000|08}}
| pricing = Downloads for purchase, unlimited streaming by subscription
| website = {{URL|http://classicalarchives.com}}
}}

'''Classical Archives LLC''' is an [[Online music store|online digital music store]] that solely focuses on [[classical music]]. Originally opening as the Classical MIDI Archives in 1994 primarily as a repository for free [[MIDI]] sequences of classical music works, in August 2000 the site incorporated as Classical Archives, LLC, and has since been also offering commercial label recordings for both streaming and downloading.

Both members and non-members can access detailed [[Music history|musicological]] information for each work: [[Movement (music)|movements]], [[Music genre|genre]], principal [[Musical instrument|instruments]], year of composition, and [[Key (music)|key]]. Additionally, nearly every [[Composer|composer's]] biography is provided.<ref>{{cite web |title=Piano Sonata No.14 in C#-, Op.27, No.2 ('Moonlight')|website=Classical Archives |access-date=9 September 2023
|url=http://www.classicalarchives.com/work/3962.html#tvf=tracks&tv=about}}</ref> Free radio streaming is available for computers and mobile devices that also includes a device to close the connection in one hour, if desired.<ref name="classicalarchives.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.classicalarchives.com/radio |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813094403/http://www.classicalarchives.com/radio/ |archive-date=2006-08-13 |title=CLASSICAL ARCHIVES INTERNET RADIO}}</ref>

Classical Archives uses a proprietary system (called the Contextual [[Metadata engine|Metadata Engine]]) that allows for the ingestion and cataloguing of all recordings based on musicological accurate and uniform metadata. Because of the Contextual Metadata Engine, visitors can search and cross-reference by various relevant criteria: composer, work title, artist, albums, historical period, instrument, and genre, in order to find and compare different recordings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://app1.kuhf.org/articles/1243372763-The-Front-Row,-Tuesday,-05-26-2009.html|title = News & Information}}</ref> The website also includes a section on composers (the greats, the notables or all), which include [[Leonard Bernstein|Leonard Berstein]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Greats - Classical Archives |url=https://www.classicalarchives.com/newca/#!/theGreats}}</ref> [[George Gershwin]] and more.

Classical Archives was founded by CEO Pierre R. Schwob.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pierre Schwob {{!}} Linkedin |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierreschwob/}}</ref> The cataloguing of the Classical Archives database is carried out by a team of [[musicologists]] led by Chief Musicologist and Artistic Director [[Nolan Gasser|Dr. Nolan Gasser]].<ref name="online.wsj.com">{{cite news |last=Jurgensen |first=John |date=May 8, 2009 |title=New Ways to Buy Bach Online |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124174826897199479 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref>