Research Guides: Writing Music Program Notes: Composer Information

Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian

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426 Mullins Library

Wolfgang or Wolfie?

Transcribe the name of the composer as accurately as possible. Check OneSearch or Worldcat for the standard method for naming the composer. Please do not use abbreviations or cute names.

See Wolfie Mozart Amadeusrat

Finding Information on Your Composer

Get background information about your composers from these sources:

Oxford Music Online This link opens in a new window
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Covers: all time periods. Combines several important reference works for the study of music, including the New Grove Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians, The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 4th Edition New Grove Dictionary of Opera, 2nd edition, The Oxford Dictionary of Music, and more.
OneSearch This link opens in a new window
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The Libraries' own a number of books on composers. They can be found by looking in the ML 340 call number area or by doing a search of the library catalog.

Composer Websites
There are a variety of websites available on specific composers which are hosted by museums, libraries, record label, or by the composer him or herself. If you chose to use information found on general websites such as Wikipedia, check the accuracy of the information against other sources.

WorldCat Classic This link opens in a new window
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Libraries have already done some of the work for you. WorldCat contains over 150 million records. Find a biography that we do not own here or do a search on the composer to find the birth and death years.

Is My Composer Still Alive?

Identifying whether your composer is still alive can be tricky. Try these sources for more information.

Gaylord Music Library (WUSTL) Musicians Necrology
Browse for name. Lists death dates and citations for obituaries

Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
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Search obituaries from a wide number of newspapers from the United States and the World