The Pronunciation

If you tour the sites I will recommend to you, or if you have done some research already, you will notice that most teachers are clear on one thing: Latin is to be read aloud. The Romans read it aloud, so should you.
This poses a problem for the lone traveller. How is it that you pronounce it?
I myself did not get to really start with Latin until I closed in a pronunciation method.
Being a music lover, I solved the problem partly by listening to records in "Medieval Latin." While this will surely help you,I would like to warn you:

WARNING!

After you start to recognize the difference between good and bad latin, your choice of performers is to be severely diminished: most famous singers just jumble all the Latin together (usually in a poor imitation of Italian) and probably hope we won't notice! Well, sorry to disapoint you people, BUT WE DO LISTEN! In less affluent circles it can get worse, you are going to have every vocal performer singing a different version of latin, while in the same piece!. Sometimes ignorance is a blessing...

If you still want to learn latin, continue. If you prefer to think every opera singer is a linguistics expert, click here.
After you were warned, here are the good ones: (IMHO)

Vocal Performers:Emma Kirkby, Maria Christina Kiehr.
Ensembles to watch for: Gothic Voices, the Academy of Ancient Music,La Fenice.
They have heavenly angelic voices, the Latin is constant, the diction is quite good... Some of this recordings are within my own classification of perfect.

But that still isn't Classical Latin, is it? Can you live with a compromise?
I have heard people telling you to close your ears and pronounce it like Italian.

I am a purist, I have got to learn it according to the latest research (or the latest fad, whichever you prefer).
since learning from a Roman teacher is out of reach these days (pity!) alternative solutions must be found.
It was one of my little "backgrounder" books that presented me with the solution: audio tapes.
I made a considerable investment on them, and you might want to postpone that. For me, it was a pretty good solution. There you have it:

Living Voice of Greek and Latin: The Pronunciation of Classical Latin

Selections from Ovid

I have chosen finally to stick to a certain "school" of pronunciation, and I have taken off from there, even though a more "Romance" approach to pronunciation would be more pleasing to my ears.

This is obviously a matter of personal choice, and I leave you to make yours. I will try to find some media files to give you different examples.
But I am getting used to it...
Will Marius please come forward and clear the doubt forever? :)

Esse quid hod dicam, quod tam mihi dura uidentur
� strata, neque in lecto pallia nostra sedent,
et uacuus somno noctem, quam longam, peregi,
� lassaque uersati corporis ossa dolent?
nam, puto, sentirem, si quo temptater amore -
� an subit et tecta callidus arte nocet?
more>>

And Now Online:

This incredible Web Page from the University of Harvard has selections from Latin and Greek classics read by their professors and available in audio!

We poor online learners cannot thank them enough for such an amazing opportunity to hear it as it should be.

Selections include:

Aeneid 1.1   A staple for every student.

Amores 1.13   One of my favorite poems by Ovid.

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