LibGuides: Music: Music History & Reference

How To Use This Page

Use this page to help guide you in your search for items supporting music history and realted topics. Write down the call number for books you are interested in, and use the book image to help you loacte the item(s) on the shelf.

TIPS:

All music books or books realted to music are located on the top (3rd) floor of Lewis Library.
When searching for books in the Stacks, look for call numbers beginning with the letter M.
When searching for books in Reference, look for call numbers beginning with REF M.

Music & Books on Music:

M1 - M5000 = Printed Music (including collection, vocal scores, & more)
ML1 - ML3930 = Literature on Music (including composer biographies, music history, & more)
MT1 - MT960 = Music Instruction & Study (including music theory, instrument techniques, & more)

Recommended Print Reference for Music

The following recommended titles are located on the main(2nd) floor of Lewis Library in the Reference section. These item call numbers all begin with the letters REF, and cannot be checked out of the library.

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
Call Number: REF ML100 .N488 2000 (29 volumes)
ISBN: 1561592390
This is an essential resource. Volumes of a past edition (1980) are available for check-out & located on the top (3rd) floor of your library.
The Harvard dictionary of music
Call Number: REF ML100 .H37 2003
ISBN: 0674011635
This is a key reference source, recommended by Dr. Turner. Click on the title (in blue) to access the online version of this dictionary!
Baker's biographical dictionary of musicians
Call Number: REF ML105 .B166 2000 V.1-6
ISBN: 0028655257
This reference book is an ESSENTIAL resource when researching biographical information about composers or musicians.
Encyclopedia of recorded sound
Call Number: REF ML102 .S677 E5 2005 V.1-2
ISBN: 041593835X

E-Book Recommended by Dr. Anderson

A Dictionary for the Modern Singer by Hoch
Call Number: E-book
ISBN: 9780810886551
Publication Date: 2014

Databases for Music Reference & Articles

Use the following databases when searching for articles, journals and other sources about music and music history. Use the GALILEO link at the bottom to access your library's complete selection of databases.

Naxos Music Library
Use this site as a resource for listening to and studying music, in addition to linking to music samples as examples in and during your class presentations.
CREDO Reference Online
Includes a variety of reference sources for Music, such as "The Harvard Dictionary of Music". Links within CREDO allow the user to access "Oxford Reference Online", "GALE Reference", and the Lewis Library Catalog.

Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
This is a multi-disciplinary database with full-text articles, containing over 70 journal titles related to Music. You should check “Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals” to ensure that your results exclude popular titles. You may elect to check “Academic Journals” as a way to avoid having Book Reviews in your results.
Research Library (at ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
A good “general” database,” with full text for some journals. Includes more than 30 journals with "Music" in the title!
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Provides access to back issues of scholarly journals generally published up to 3 or 5 years from the present. Includes journals and articles representing a variety of subjects, including the Arts, Humanities, Music and History. All articles are of a scholarly nature. A list of Music journals in JSTOR is available at https://www.jstor.org/subject/music .

GALILEO: Databases A-Z
Choose "All databases" to view all 342 databases available through Galileo and Lewis Library. Choose a letter if you know what the title of the database you're looking for starts with.

General Books on Music History

The Oxford history of western music by Taruskin, Richard.
Call Number: ML160 .T188 2005 V.1-6
ISBN: 0195169794
Publication Date: 2005
Volumes 1 & 2 of this set of books are on RESERVE at the circulation desk (main floor of the library) for music history students. Volumes 3-6 are available on the 3rd floor in the stacks.
A history of western music by Grout, Donald Jay
Call Number: ML160 .G872 2006
ISBN: 0393979911
Located on the top (3rd) floor of Lewis Library.
Norton anthology of western music by Palisca, Claude V.
Call Number: MT91 .N67 2006 V.1 -2
ISBN: 0393979903
Located on the top (3rd) floor of Lewis Library