Music

A guide to finding library resources related to Music

Music Reference Resources

Most music reference resources are online, but keep in mind that many important music reference sources are only available in book format. For example, music reference titles that are only available in book format include: The Hymn Tune Index; Basic Music Library; Thematic Catalogues in Music; Jazz Records, 1897-1942; Collected Editions, Historical Series & Sets, & Monuments of Music; Schubert's Complete Song Texts (2 vols.); and The Encyclopedia of the Blues, and The Encyclopedia of the Music Business. While some reference works in book format must stay in the library, many of them can be checked out.

To find music reference works, either online or in book format, you will often be successful if you conduct a keyword search in OneSearch, and include words appropriate to your needs such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, thematic indexes, bibliographies, handbooks, biographies, phonetic, etc. You might consider trying both singular and plural spellings, or using truncated word symbols, to retrieved a larger number of appropriate sources.

Core Online Resources

For more details about the individual titles available in Oxford Music Online, see below or click here.

For more details about the individual music titles available in Oxford Reference Online, see below or click here.

Other Encyclopedias and Dictionaries Online

Oxford Music Online

       

Oxford Music Online brings together eight sources that can be searched together. These include:

  • The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
  • The Grove Dictionary of American Music
  • The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz
  • The New Grove Dictionary of Opera
  • The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Music
  • The Oxford Companion to Music
  • The Norton-Grove Dictionary of Woman Composers

Oxford Reference Online

Oxford Reference Music brings together eight sources. These include:

  • The Grove Book of Operas (2nd ed.)
  • Who Married Figaro? A Dictionary of Opera Characters
  • The Grove Book of Opera Singers
  • The Oxford Companion to the American Musical
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Music (6th ed.)
  • Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.)
  • The Oxford Companion to Music
  • Dictionary Plus Music

They can be searched together all at once or they can be searched individually using the following links.