The 11th-century "Victimae Paschali Laudes", traditionally attributed to Wipo of Burgundy, is one of the few traditional Latin "sequences" still used by the Roman Catholic Church today. (nom)

A 12th-century song by Comtessa Beatritz de Dia, "A Chantar" is the only existing song by a trobairitz which survives with its music. (nom)

From Ordo Virtutum (c.1151) by Abbess Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179). Performed by Makemi

A Gregorian chant setting of Ave Maria, directed by Fr. Dariusz Smolarek SAC. Ave Maria (Hail Mary) is a traditional Roman Catholic prayer asking for the help of the Virgin Mary. It is commonly used in mass and as penance for sins.

An example of Kyrie eleison being performed as a Gregorian chant, directed by Fr. Dariusz Smolarek SAC.

The Coventry Carol, a 16th-century English Christmas Carol, performed by the U.S. Army Band Chorus.

The 16th century Catalan Christmas carol "El Noi de la Mare", performed as a classical guitar instrumental by Wikipedian Jujutacular.

"Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming", an 1894 English translation of the 16th-century German Christmas carol, "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen". Performed by the chorus of the U.S. Army Band, c. 2010.

The Dutch national anthem, Het Wilhelmus, played by the United States Navy Band. The anthem itself dates back to 1568 where it was sung on official occasions and important events such as the Siege of Haarlem in 1573, the melody was first written down in 1574. The current melody was recorded by Dutch composer Adriaen Valerius in his "Nederlantsche Gedenck-clanck" in 1626. The history of the lyrics is unknown though a French translation appeared around 1582. There are legends surrounding performances of the anthem, such as in the torture of Balthasar Gérard (William of Orange's assassin) where the guards sought to overpower Gérard's screams boiling pig fat was poured over him. To which Gérard allegedly responded, "Sing! Dutch sinners! Sing! But know that soon I shall be sung of!"

The toccata from L'Orfeo, composed by Claudio Monteverdi in 1807. Performed by Trisdee and the Bangkok Baroque Ensemble.

Dormi, dormi, bel Bambin, a traditional Italian Christmas carol, performed by the U.S. Army Band Chorus.

A la Nanita Nana, a Spanish Christmas carol, performed by the U.S. Army Band Chorus in Spanish and English.

Movement V of Suite du Premier Ton (Suite in C major) from Louis-Nicolas Clérambault's 1710 set of compositions, Livre d'Orgue, performed by Ashtar Moïra.

"Ombra mai fù" (and the introductory recitative) from George Frideric Handel's Serse, as performed by Enrico Caruso in 1920.

Antonio Soler was a Spanish composer, primarily for organ. This is his 84th sonata, performed by Wikipedian Ashtar Moïra.

La marcha real (The Royal March), the National Anthem of Spain, performed by the United States Navy Band. It is one of the oldest national anthems in the world as it was adopted in 1770, though, due to its age, the composer is unknown. It is also one of the few national anthems without words.

The first movement of Mozart's Serenade No. 13.

Frank C. Stanley's 1910 performance of Robert Burns' Auld Lang Syne. Contains the first and last verse.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Magic Flute, performed live by the 2006 Bangkok Opera

Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 10, No. 3, 1st movement. Performed November 2008 by Wikipedian La Pianista.

"Turkey in the Straw" performed by the United States Air Force Strings, the song was popularised in the late 1820s-1830.

A polacca from Le trompeur trompé, an 1800 opéra comique by Pierre Gaveaux and François Bernard-Valville. Performed on historical instruments, with Montserrat Alavedra as Agathe.

The second piece from Fernando Sor's Twelve Minuets, Opus 11, early 19th century.

From Ludwig van Beethoven ballet The Creatures of Prometheus, Op. 43 – 14. Performed by Leila Storch (oboe), William McColl (basset-horn), and Anita Cummings (piano).

Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1806, performed by Wikipedia user La Pianista in 2010.

Four ruffles and flourishes, followed by "Hail to the Chief", traditionally played to introduce the President of the United States. Performed by the United States Army Band.

An instrumental version of The Star-Spangled Banner, the national anthem of the United States. Performed by the US Navy Band.

Kyoko Yonemoto playing Niccolò Paganini's Caprice No. 24 in A minor (publ. 1819) at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition 2009. Widely considered one of the most difficult pieces ever written for the solo violin, it requires many highly advanced techniques such as parallel octaves and rapid shifting covering many intervals, extremely fast scales and arpeggios including minor scales in thirds and tenths, left hand pizzicato, high positions, and quick string crossing.

O Tannenbaum, an 1824 German Christmas Carol written and arranged by Ernst Anschütz, based on an old folk melody. In this recording, the first verse is performed in German and English by the U.S. Army Band Chorus.

Brass band instrumental version of "Amazing Grace" performed by The Ceremonial Brass: United States Air Force Band

String orchestra instrumental version of "Amazing Grace" performed by The United States Air Force Band Strolling Strings

The first piece from Fernando Sor's Opus 31, a collection of pieces for classical guitar. Recording by Wikipedian Jujutacular.

String orchestra instrumental version of "Amazing Grace" performed by The United States Air Force Band Strolling Strings

Stephen Foster's "Oh! Susanna" is performed by the United States Navy Band.

Composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1839, performed by Wikipedia user La Pianista in 2010

Joy to the World played on piano by User:Orthologist

Alisa Weilerstein, Awadagin Pratt and Joshua Bell perform Felix Mendelssohn's 1839 Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 and the finale, Allegro assai appassionato at the White House Evening of Classical Music on November 4, 2009.

Vallée d'Obermann from Années de pèlerinage, S.160, by Franz Liszt, published in 1855, performed by La Pianista in 2011.

Johann Strauss I's magnum opus, the Radetzky March, performed in a military band arrangement by the United States Marine Corps Band.

Here We Come A-wassailing, a nineteenth-century English Christmas carol, performed by the U.S. Army Band Chorus.

From Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto. This 1907 Victor Records recording starred Enrico Caruso, Bessie Abott, Louise Homer and Antonio Scotti. (nom)

From Act II of Giuseppe Verdi's Il trovatore. Sung by Gabriella Besanzoni in 1920.

"Noble patria, tu hermosa bandera" (Costa Rica National Anthem) performed by the United States Navy Band

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, an English Christmas Carol by Charles Wesley, George Whitfield, Felix Mendelssohn, William H. Cummings, et al. Performed by the U.S. Army Band Chorus.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic; lyrics by Julia Ward Howe set to a c. 1855 tune by William Steffe. Performed by Frank C. Stanley, Elise Stevenson, and a mixed quartet in 1908.

"Himno Nacional de El Salvador" (El Salvador National Anthem) performed by the United States Navy Band

Enrico Caruso, Frieda Hempel, Maria Duchêne, Andrés de Segurola, and Léon Rothier perform "È scherzo od è follia" from Giuseppe Verdi's Un ballo in maschera (1859), in this 1915 Victor Recording.

The Act I finale of Charles Gounod's Faust (1859), sung by Enrico Caruso and Marcel Journet in 1910.

Claudio S. Grafulla's American Civil War march, Washington Grays, performed by the United States Air Force Concert Band in 1998.

The second of Anton Bruckner's three arrangements of "Ave Maria" performed by the United States Navy Band's Sea Chanters ensemble.

Brass band arrangement of the Hunters' Chorus from The Lily of Killarney using period instruments. During the 19th century, brass bands began to spring up throughout Europe and America. Popular music, including operas, were arranged for them by composers and music sellers eager to cash in on the free advertising they provided.

From Giuseppe Verdi's La forza del destino, Act III, Scene 3. Sung by Enrico Caruso and Giuseppe de Luca.

Taps played on the bugle by a member of the U.S. Army Band. It is played by the U.S. military nightly to indicate that it is "lights out". The song also accompanies funeral processions at Arlington National Cemetery.

Leo Slezak's 1910 Edison Records recording of Walther's Prize Song from Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

"Papal Anthem and March," the national anthem of Vatican City; composed by Charles Gounod. Performance by the United States Navy Band.

An 1870 French military march about the Army of Sambre-et-Meuse by Robert Planquette and Paul Cézano. Sung by Pierre d'Assy in 1905.

The Ride of the Valkyries from Richard Wagner's Die Walküre. Performed by the American Symphony Orchestra for Edison Records in 1921.

Overture di Ballo, which predates all of Arthur Sullivan's collaborations with W. S. Gilbert, is regarded as Sullivan most successful orchestral work. This is a military band arrangement, performed by the U.S. Marine Band.

Pasquale Amato's 1911 rendition of the Toréador's song from Georges Bizet's Carmen (1875).

Il est né, le divin Enfant, a French Christmas carol, Performed by the U.S. Army Band Chorus in a bilingual French-and-English version.

God Defend New Zealand, a national anthem of New Zealand. Music composed in 1876 by John Joseph Woods to accompany a contemporary poem by Thomas Bracken. Instrumental version performed by the US Navy Band

Sousa composed the piece in 1877 and it was quickly transferred to piano arrangement and the sheet music sold. Adam Cuerden composed the midi file playback from the Library of Congress copy of the sheet music.

A 1913 recording of "The Lost Chord" sung by Reed Miller. The lyrics are by Christian mystic poet Adelaide Anne Procter, and were set to music by Arthur Sullivan at the bedside of his dying brother, Fred Sullivan, to whom the song is dedicated. "The Lost Chord" proved immediately successful and remains one of the most enduring of Sullivan's non-operatic compositions.

The fourth movement of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor. Introduced to unfavourable reviews, the symphony has since become a staple of the orchestral repertoire.

The Canadian national anthem, O Canada, played by the United States Navy Band. The song was originally commissioned by Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Théodore Robitaille for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony, 1880. The music was written by Calixa Lavallée as a setting of a French Canadian patriotic poem composed by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier. The lyrics were translated to English in 1906, Robert Stanley Weir wrote another English version in 1908, which were revised twice before taking their current form in 1980.

1930 recording of the Japanese national anthem, Kimi ga Yo. Includes both the vocal and instrumental parts.

A recording of the 2006 Yale Whiffenpoofs singing Bright College Years, Yale's unofficial alma mater

Elfentanz (Dance of the Elves), Op. 39, by composer David Popper. Performed by Hans Goldstein (cello) and Mellicia Straaf (piano) in 2010.

Dominican Republic National Anthem performed by the United States Navy Band.

1912 recording by Enrico Caruso and Geraldine Farrar of a scene from Act II of Jules Massenet's Manon (1884).

From Jules Massenet's Le Cid (1885). Sung by Marguerite Sylva in 1910 for Edison Records.

From Jules Massenet's Le Cid (1885). Sung by Enrico Caruso in 1916 for the Victor Talking Machine Company.

Burleske, by Richard Strauss, begun in 1885-86, and revised in 1890, performed in 1991 by Neal O'Doan and the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, under the conductorship of Nico Snel.

A complete recording of Camille Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals (in fourteen movements) by pianists Neil and Nancy O'Doan and the Seattle Youth Symphony. Conducted by Vilem Sokol.

John Philip Sousa's first hit, The Gladiator March, performed by the U.S. Air Force Concert Band.

A 1914 recording by Titta Ruffo and Enrico Caruso of Giuseppe Verdi's Otello.

Francesco Tamagno, the original Otello, sings "Niun mi tema" (Morte d'Otello) from Giuseppe Verdi's Otello. This 1903 recording dates from just two years before Tamagno's death.

Navarra (Danza Espagnole), Op. 33, by Pablo de Sarasate. Performed by Roxana Pavel Goldstein and Elias Goldstein (violins) with the Depaul Symphony (Chicago) conducted by Cliff Colnot. Composed in 1889.

John Philip Sousa's Semper Fidelis March, the official march of the United States Marine Corps. Performed by the United States Marine Band in June 1909.

Sharon Isbin performs Enrique Granados' "Danza No. 5" at the White House Classical Music Student Workshop Concer

An orchestral piece from "Cavalleria rusticana", a one-act opera by Pietro Mascagni. Performed by the Fulda Symphonic Orchestra in 2002.

From Jules Massenet's Werther; Sung by Jeanette Ekornaasvaag.

Edward Elgar's Serenade for Strings (Op. 20 mv 1), which was written for a String orchestra, is performed by the United States Army Band's United States Army Strings ensemble.

"Manhattan Beach", a commemorative march by John Philip Sousa.

Antonín Dvořák's 1894 song cycle, based on selections from the Book of Psalms as translated by the Bible of Kralice.

Alexander Scriabin's 1894 Étude Op. 8 No. 12 performed by Awadagin Pratt at the White House Classical Music Student Workshop Concert on November 4, 2009. Clicks removed and fade out added by Major Bloodnok (talk).

"King Cotton", an 1895 Sousa military march.

"O soave fanciulla" from Giacomo Puccini's La bohème, sung by Enrico Caruso and Nellie Melba in 1907.

A 1907 recording by Enrico Caruso and Antonio Scotti of "O Mimì, tu più non torni" from Act IV of Giacomo Puccini's La bohème.

A 1909 Edison Records recording of Sousa's Band performing John Philip Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever.

A modern performance of the patriotic American march, "The Stars and Stripes Forever" by the United States Marine Band. It is widely considered to be the magnum opus of composer John Philip Sousa. By act of Congress, it is the National March of the United States of America.

Veni, Vidi, Vici, an 1898 composition by the "New England March King" Robert Browne Hall. Performed by the United States Air Force Band.

Gabriel Fauré's Fantasie (1898), performed circa 1976 by Alex Murray (flute) and Martha Goldstein (piano).

A piano roll recording of Maple Leaf Rag, by Scott Joplin. It was performed by Scott Joplin in 1916, as he was suffering from advanced Syphilis, and shows how the degenerative disease effected Joplin's musical ability.

The hit song from the 1899 musical Florodora, which played a major role in developing the chorus line. A c. 1908 Edison Records recording by the "Edison Sextette" (Ada Jones, George S. Lenox, Corinne Morgan, Grace Nelson, Bob Roberts and Frank C. Stanley).

Maurice Ravel's Pavane pour une infante défunte, performed by Thérèse Dussaut.

John Philips Sousa, "Hands Across the Sea" continues to be a popular military march.

Emmy Destinn's 1914 recording of Vissi d'arte from Giacomo Puccini's Tosca.

Antonio Pasculli's Gran Concerto on themes from Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani. Performed by Alex Klein, oboe, and Lisa Bergman, piano.

"Sunflower Slow Drag", which was co-written by Scott Joplin and Scott Hayden. It was Hayden's most important work. This version performed by the United States Marine Corps Band is a brass band arrangement of a piano original score.

The toccata from Claude Debussy's Pour le piano, L.95, composed in 1901 and performed by Wikipedia user La Pianista in 2010.

Debussy's Sarabande from Pour le piano, composed in 1901, performed by Wikipedia user La Pianista in 2011.

Lillian Russell's only recording, from 1912. During the production of Twirly Whirly, composer John Stromberg delayed giving her her solo for several days, saying it wasn't ready. When he committed suicide a few days before the first rehearsal, the sheet music for "Come Down Ma Evenin' Star" was found in his pocket. It became Lillian Russell's signature song.

William Paris Chambers's march, Sweeney's Cavalcade, performed by the U.S. Air Force Concert Band

La Bayamesa performed by the United States Navy Band. La Bayamesa is the national anthem of Cuba. It was first performed during the Battle of Bayamo in 1868 but adopted 1902. Perucho Figueredo, who took part in the battle, wrote and composed the song. Antonio Rodríguez Ferrer wrote the introductary notes for the anthem.

Assez vif – Très rythmé, the second movement of Joseph-Maurice Ravel's String Quartet, played by the United States Army Band.

"Himno Nacional de Honduras" (Honduras National Anthem) performed by the United States Navy Band

Wax cylinder recording from German New Guinea on August 23, 1904, recorded by German anthropologist Rudolf Pöch

A recording of "Hostias Et Preces" by Eugenio Terziani (1824–1889), sung by the last surviving castrato of the Pope's choir, Alessandro Moreschi (1858–1922). Moreschi, as the only castrato trained in the old traditions to be recorded, provides our only insight into what a lost musical tradition was like.

A csárdás is a traditional Hungarian folk dance. This version was composed by Vittorio Monti in 1904 based on the traditional tunes. It was recorded in 2004 by the United States Air Force Band.

"La Dessalinienne" performed by the United States Navy Band.

"Himno Istmeño" (Panama National Anthem) performed by the United States Navy Band

A modern United States Department of Defense instrumental recording of "Anchors Aweigh", the song of the United States Navy. Music by Charles A. Zimmerman, with lyrics (not here used) by Alfred Hart Miles.

Henry Fillmore's Troopers Tribunal, a circus march for which Fillmore used a punning name – troupers, as in a circus troupe – in order to conceal who he wrote the march for from his conservative father.

Regimental Pride by "March Wizard" John Clifford Heed, named in honor of his time in Voss's First Regiment Band, for which he played cornet. Performed by the United States Air Force Band.

The United States Navy Band performs "Anchors Aweigh"

Frog Legs Rag, a classic ragtime piece by James Scott. Performed on a synthesized piano by Wikipedian Adam Cuerden in 2010 with technical assistance from Jujutacular.

Claude-Paul Taffanel's Andante Pastoral et Scherzettino, composed for the 1907 Paris Conservatory Flute Concours. Performed by Alex Murray (flute) and Martha Goldstein (piano).

For a John Philips Sousa march, "Fairest of the Fair" is on the fringe of military marches.

A 1909 Edison Records recording of husband-and-wife team Jack Norworth and Nora Bayes' 1908 hit Shine On, Harvest Moon. Performed by Ada Jones and Billy Murray.

"Take Me Out to the Ball Game", by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer, is a Tin Pan Alley waltz song which became the unofficial anthem of baseball. This version was sung by Edward Meeker for Edison Records in September 1908, and is one of the first recordings of the song. This recording was preserved in 2011 by the National Recording Registry.

"The Circus Bee" is a circus march by Henry Fillmore written in 1908.

Grace and Beauty, by ragtime composer James Scott. MIDI sequencing by Adam Cuerden, piano synthesis by Jujutacular.

Edwin Eugene Bagley's Front Section March, performed by the United States Air Force Concert Band.

The United States Army Band Brass Quintet's 2007 rendition of the 1910 song "America the Beautiful".

1910 Edison Records recording of vaudeville performer Edward M. Favor's rendition of Clarence Wainwright Murphy's song How can they tell that I'm Irish?