Songs and singing

Last Updated: 10-Mar-2014

The topic guide includes resources on songs and singing, including how to find printed music and song texts.

Subject Librarians

Public Services Librarian for Music

(650) 384-9985

Find printed scores and sheet music in the Searchworks library catalog.

Indexes to songs in collections:

Browse the stacks:

Secular

M 1500	Operas and musicals, full score (by composer)
M 1503	Operas and musicals, piano accompaniment (by composer)
M 1507	Opera aria collections, voice and piano
M 1528-9	Duets, trios, quartets, etc.
M 1611-12	Song collections with orchestra
M 1613-14	Single songs with orchestra
M 1619	Song collections, multiple composers
M 1620	Song collections, single composers
M 1621	Single songs
M 1621.4	Song cycles
M 1627-29	American national and folk music
M 1630.18	Popular song collections, including fakebooks

Sacred

M 2000	Oratorios
M 2010-16	Masses and other services
M 2018-19	Duets, trios, quartets, etc.
M 2102-13	Arias, cantatas, songs

Texts only

ML 48	Libretto collections
ML 49	Libretto collections, by composer
ML 50	Librettos for individual stage works
ML 54.6	Song texts, including popular music

Reference works:

Read the article on Singing in Grove Music Online

Browse the stacks:

ML 1400	General histories, and by century and country
ML 1460	History of vocal technique
ML 1700	Histories of opera and other stage musicals
ML 2500	Song genres and forms
ML 2900	Sacred songs
ML 3201	Oratorios

MT 820	Singing technique
MT 821	Physiology and care of the voice
MT 825	Teaching systems and methods
MT 855	Special techniques (sight-singing; diction; acting)