Web sightings: For classical lovers, free streaming and sheet music

Whether you love classical music or want to see if you do, head over to Musopen (musopen.org) where you can listen and download this genre for free. The nonprofit was formed to improve access and exposure to classical music by creating resources and educational materials. It provides recordings, sheet music and educational information to the public without copyright restrictions.

The user-friendly website features royalty-free music by more than 200 composers and sheet music by thousands, including Dvorák, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Borodin, Schubert, Chopin and Mendelssohn. You can select music by composer, performer, instrument, period or form. The site also permits users to upload music found elsewhere to its library, as long as it has public domain status.

Downloaded music is in MP3 format and sheet music is in PDF. To download with Windows, click the name of the music you want, then right click on download and select "Save Link As." Although we could play music on an Apple computer, we couldn't figure out how or if downloading was possible.

Basic membership requires registration and allows you up to five standard-quality audio downloads a day. If you want more or higher-quality music, you can elect to become a paid member. For $55 a year, you receive unlimited downloads of high-quality audio, and new music is available two weeks before the standard release schedule. The $20-a-month benefactor level allows you to request pieces of music.

SITE: musopen.org

DESCRIPTION: A library of free downloadable classical music and sheet music

TARGET AUDIENCE: Everyone

BOTTOM LINE: A symphony of freebies -- music to anyone's ear.