For quite awhile now I've been searching for a music history and appreciation program that includes music prior to the Baroque period (after all, music has existed from the earliest times!). While a few contain cursory information on the Middle Ages and Renaissance, none appear to delve into the amount of detail I require, so I've decided to pull something together myself (we're all quite passionate about music, otherwise I probably wouldn't bother!).

For starters, I purchased the HarperCollins College Outline History of Western Music by Hugh H. Miller and A Student's Guide to Music History by R.J. Stove. I may also read The Rise of Music in the Ancient World: East and West and the Norton classics: Medieval Music and Anthology of Renaissance Music (to myself, of course, if I can find the time!). While I don't plan to get super technical with the kids, I would like them to know - at minimum - the main themes, historical context and identifying styles of each period. Essentials of Music is a useful resource for this as well. If I can find enough material, I'd also like to cover non-Western music (Indian, Persian, Asian and Islamic music, for example) - however, that will require much more research!

After spending some time on Amazon, here is the 'starter' list I came up with, though I'm sure it could use some fine tuning:

• Music of the Ancient Sumerians, Egyptians and Greeks by Ensemble De Organographia
• Music of Ancient Rome by Synaulia
• Hymns from the Vedas and Upanishads, Vedic Chants by Jitendra Abhisheki
• Edda - An Icelandic Saga - Myths From Medieval Iceland / Sequentia by Icelandic Anonymous
• Music of the Crusades by Geoffrey Shaw
• The Fall of Constantinople
• The Glory of Byzantium
• From Byzantium to Andalusia: Medieval Music and Poetry
• Hildegard von Bingen: Symphoniae (Spiritual Songs) by Sequentia
• Early Music Festival / David Munrow, Early Music Consort by Francesco Landini
• Music of the Gothic Era
• Love's Illusion, Music From The Montpellier Codex by Anonymous 4 (13th century)
• The Lily and the Lamb: Chant and Polyphony from Medieval England by Anonymous 4 (13th century)
• An English Ladymass: Medieval Chant and Polyphony by Anonymous 4 (13th and 14th century)
• The Black Madonna Pilgrim Songs from the Monastery of Montserrat (1400-1420) by Ensemble Unicorn
• Codex Faenza: Instrumental Music of the Early 15th Century by Ensemble Unicorn
• A Feast of Songs: Holiday Music from the Middle Ages by Barry and Beth Hall
• Sinners and Saints: The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection by Philip Pickett and the New London Consort
• Instruments of the Middle Ages and Renaissance by David Munrow
• Isabel I: Reina de Castilla (15th century)
• Spanish Music of Travel and Discovery by Waverly Consort (15th century)
• Carnevale! by Ensemble De Organographia (16th century Italian carnival music)
• William Byrd: Second Service and Consort Anthems by Choir of Magdalen College Oxford (16th century)
• Armada: Music from the Courts of England and Spain
• Music of the Middle Ages (OR) Terres Turquoises by Constantinople
• Early Venetian Lute Music

Several of the above CD's are published by Naxos, which has a great Early Music Collection. Since I'm only personally familiar with the Anonymous 4 selections (which are beautiful!), I tried to choose only those that appeared historically accurate and had very positive reviews. I've ordered a few CD's to get started, so we'll see how it goes! My plan is to spend about 30 minutes per week on a formal lesson, but we'll play the CD's quite frequently during reading and at other quiet times.