When I asked one of my nurses, if it would be fine that we could listen to classical music in the break room — it became somewhat of a bureaucratic issue because hospital policy prohibited the staff from connecting their smartphones to the rather antiquated PA system and 3 pairs of in-ceiling speakers in the common areas. My dream of Apple Music Classical ended rather abruptly.
But one can’t criticise the patient for trying to experience some normalcy.
With the onset of spring here in the Sunshine State, hope for a follow-up Stanley Cup by the Panthers or Lightning is running high and so are my chances that classical music played through the PA system will be a thing soon while I get through my current rebuild.
The platform has expanded beyond the app and is now also available directly through the web — and that applies to the Apple OS and Windows. Apple Music Classical is also accessible through iOS, CarPlay, and Android devices.
Just What is Apple Music Classical?
In 2021, Apple bought out Primephonic, a classical music streaming service. Using that platform as a foundation, Apple has created Apple Music Classical. The Apple version borrows from Primephonic’s playlists, audio content, search capability, metadata, and more but is modified to work within the Apple Music App format. In addition, Apple Music Classical has its own app.
The new service allows users to access classical music on the Apple Music platform, and also includes support for Hi-Res Lossless (up to 192kHz/24-bit) and Spatial Audio (with Dolby Atmos) when available from the content source.
In addition to what is currently available in Apple Music, Apple Music Classical provides access to five million classical music tracks, as well as to hundreds of curated playlists, and thousands of exclusive albums.
To sweeten the pot for new users, Apple is showcasing a new album: conductor Franz Welser-Möst and the Cleveland Orchestra’s performance of Julius Eastman’s Symphony No. 2 and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2.
This exclusive recording will be available only for the next six weeks.
The Bottom Line
For those who don’t want to download any additional apps, the best streaming platform for classical music is now available through the desktop and that’s a great thing for those requiring some Dvorak, Mozart, or Shostakovich in their daily listening regimen.
Price and Availability
Apple Music Classical is free for Apple Music or Apple One subscribers.
Apple Music subscriptions are priced at (per month): $10.99 (individual), $16.99 (family), and $5.99 (student)
Apple One subscriptions are priced at (per month)
- $16.99 (individual): Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple iCloud (50 GB storage)
- $22.95 (family): Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple iCloud (200 GB storage)
- $32.95 (Premiere): Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple iCloud (2 TB storage), Apple News+, Apple Fitness+
You can access Apple Music Classical on the web at https://classical.music.apple.com/.
Related Articles:
- Spotify Has Paid Out $40 Billion To The Music Industry, So Why Is No One Happy?
- Podcast: Interview with Dr. Mark Waldrep — Is Hi-Res Audio More Hype Than Reality?
- Podcast: Why is Streaming Audio So Complicated?
- Does The Music Streaming World Need Another Hi-Res Option? The New Owners Of MQA And HDtracks Think That You Do
- Audiophiles Rejoice! TIDAL Lowers Cost of HiFi+ Tier from $19.99 to $10.99/Month
- Apple Music Comes to LG OLED and QNED TVs with Dolby Atmos Immersive Audio
