FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I listen to Harmonia?

On the Air
Please check our Stations/Times page for a station near you.

On the Web
Listen to WFIU's live stream on Thursday evenings at 9 (CST), or visit our Archives to listen at your leisure. Harmonia is archived in Real Audio format. For information about how to download free Real Player software, please visit http://www.real.com/

My local station doesn't air Harmonia. What can I do?
Call or write to your local station's program director and ask him/her to carry Harmonia.
Harmonia is available to public radio stations free of charge. More information is available by calling WFIU at 812-855-1357.

Where can I find the CDs I hear on Harmonia?
We compile a playlist for each episode of Harmonia, noting title, artist and recording serial number. This information should be enough to purchase or order a recording from most retailers. Playlists [linked] are available on our website. You can also request a playlist by mail, e-mail or phone.

By regular mail:
Harmonia Playlist
WFIU/ Radio
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405

By email:
harmonia@indiana.edu

By phone:
812-855-1357

Most of the CDS we play are commercially available. The exceptions: a) when we play live performances; b) when I've played a recording that is now out-of-print. We note these exceptions on the playlist.
Most early music CDS are filed under "classical" section in record stores. Most record stores will usually be happy to order CDs for customers. If not, try the Internet. There are many sites on the web where CDs can be purchased. If all else fails, it is possible to call a record company and ask them directly how you might obtain a particular CD. They are usually very happy to help. When you call, please tell them that you heard the CD on Harmonia!
Occasionally we will play a CD that is an independent release by a particular artist, which may not be distributed widely. When this happens we try to include on the playlist an address where one might obtain a copy.
Thanks, and have fun building your early music record collection!

What is Harmonia's theme music?
Our theme music is the "Prime Estampie Real," from Ensemble Alcatraz's CD Danse Royale, (which is out of print, as far as we know).

What does "Harmonia" mean?
"Harmonia" is a word used by ancient Greek and Latin writers to describe the interplay of melody, rhythm and harmony--what they called the "music of the spheres." We pronounce it "har-mo-NEE-ah," which according to our erudite sources is the ancient Greek pronunciation (as opposed to the Latin har-MOH-nia).
The meaning of the word "Harmonia" was our inspiration for using Flammarion's illustration pictured below, in which the person somehow breaks through the heavens that we can "see," and gets a cosmic glimpse of the workings of the universe.

What's the source of this illustration?

This illustration originally appeared as a black and white woodcut in Camille Flammarion, L'Atmosphere: Météorologie Populaire (Paris, 1888). Harmonia uses (with permission) a version of Flammarion's woodcut colorized by Roberta Weir in 1970. For an interesting history of this image, click here.

Where can I learn more about early music?
A good start - visit some of the websites listed on our Links page.