Finding Early Music Videos on YouTube

By Bernard Gordillo

Published August 21, 2019 at 6:49 PM EDT

If you surf the internet with any regularity, you'll not only have seen one or more YouTube videos, but have enjoyed them. YouTube is a treasure trove with tons of great early music performances. Yet finding ones of high quality depends on the way you search, what words you use, etc.

Simple searches, like typing "Handel" in the search box, won't get you very far, but will get you something. I suspect, however, that you want to be entertained, hassle-free, as quickly as possible, and that "any ol' thing" will not do.

YouTube Channels

There are YouTube "channels" that you can visit as an alternative to wading through a lot of stuff. These channels, carefully managed by an individual or organization, provide a clear way to find some of your favorite soloists, ensembles, or works.

I find certain channels very useful since I post a video nearly every day on the Harmonia Facebook page. The task is made a little easier because the options are always interesting and, more importantly, entertaining. Once you get on the channel, just scroll the right-hand column for what looks interesting and enjoy.

As a bonus, some of the channels have a second list, "favorites," that you can also enjoy.

Here they are in no particular order:

oedipuscoloneus – A huge source, leaning towards the baroque and classical, but well-represented with Renaissance repertoire. New videos are uploaded regularly.

rredpriest – A good location for baroque composers Handel, Vivaldi, Charpentier, and Purcell, as well some of their contemporaries.

bacholoji – As the name suggests, this is a place for Bach videos.

jormundgard – More Bach (period and modern).

protestant7 – Lots of music from the baroque and classical periods.

americobottone – A channel with early and later music, you'll have to dig a little to find all of the early music, but it's worth the effort.

EMAEarlyMusicAmerica—The official video channel for Early Music America, with lots of selections from their membership.

As an alternative, you can become a fan of Harmonia Early Music at our Facebook page, or visit our special website to view a collection of our favorite YouTube videos.