Finally! BSO offering digital downloads from its archive

The BSO onstage at Symphony Hall, Boston


Last year I made gifts of music to my friends and family via Apple's ITunes. It was affordable and easy. This year I may be sending the Boston Pops Orchestra to my friends who enjoy classical, light and heavy.

It's possible since the Boston Symphony has finally launched its digital download service, though the selection is sparse and somewhat curious. Certainly it is nice to honor bygone eras when Serge Koussecitzky, Erich Leinsdorf and Charlels Munch led this great institution, but I look forward to the day more recent concerts are available. Especially some of the legendary programs under Seiji Ozawa and the current Music Director, James Levine.

But it is a start, and the lateness of the entry at least means state of the art technology. Each recording has been digitally remastered by EMI's Abbey Road Studios using 24-bit state-of-the-art technology.

Keith Lockhart conducts the Christmas Pops

I enjoyed browsing the BSO website for a look at the various MP3 downloads and Classical CD selections which are being offered. There are generous samplings to give you a flavor of what you are buying. A very nice beginning.