Table of Contents
Introduction
What do they do?
Music encyclopedias allow you to find comprehensive, reilable, scholarly information on composers and other musicians; musical works, forms and genres; historical and stylistic periods; and musical life in countries and cities around the world.
Where are they?
Browse in the Reference Room under these call numbers:
ML 100 | General works (multi-subject) |
ML 101 .A-Z | General works arranged by region or country |
ML 102 | By topic, for example: |
ML 102 .J3 | Jazz |
ML 102 .M88 | Musicals |
ML 102 .O6 | Opera |
ML 105 | Biographical dictionaries (of composers, performers, and other musicians), international in scope |
ML 106 | Biographical dictionaries arranged by country |
ML 108 | Dictionaries of musical terms |
ML 109 | Pronouncing dictionaries |
Learn more:
This entry in New Grove provides a detailed history and an extensive chronological list of published titles.
Comprehensive works
These titles are the most significant sources for scholarly entries on music.
[Oxford, England] : Oxford University Press
Stanford University Libraries » Online resource » eResource
2., neubearbeitete Ausg. / Kassel ; New York : Bärenreiter ; Stuttgart : Metzler, 1994-
Music Library » Recordings » MCDI 23
New York : Garland Pub., 1998-2002.
Green Library » Information Center » ML100 .G16 1998 V.1
Biographical
Biographical dictionaries generally include entries for composers, performers, and other significant musical figures.
Centennial ed. / New York : Schirmer Books, 2001.
Green Library » Information Center » ML105 .B168 2001 V.1
Entries for more obscure musicians were added and removed as newer editions were produced; a thorough search will include the 5th through the present editions. The preface to the 6th and 7th editions, by Nicolas Slonimsky, provide a fascinating gimpse into the creation of this remarkable work.
London, England : Europa Publications Limited, c2002-
Green Library » Information Center » ML106 .G7 W4 ED.30 2014
2. éd. Paris, Firmin-Didot, 1878-1884.
Music Library » Reference » ML105 .F419 V.1
New York, Musurgia, 1947.
Music Library » Reference » ML105 .E36A V.1
4., erw. und aktualisierte Aufl. München : K.G. Saur, c2003.
Archive of Recorded Sound » Reference » ML105 .K83 2003 BD.1
Topical
Beow are examples of encyclopedias and dictionaries devoted to specific topics.
2nd ed. New York : Schirmer Books, c2001.
Green Library » Information Center » ML102 .M88 G3 2001 V.1
1st ed. London, England : New York, NY, USA : Viking, 1993.
Music Library » Reference » ML102 .O6 V69 1993
New York : Routledge, 2003.
Music Library » Reference » ML102 .P66 J37 2003
New York : Garland, 1994-
Music Library » Reference » ML102 .K44 E56 1994 V.1
Rev. and updated [ed.]. London : Virgin in association with Muze UK Ltd., 2004.
Music Library » Reference » ML102 .J3 V57 2004
Terminology
Dictionaries of music terminology may be general, or may focus on specific topics or eras. Note also the pronouncing dictionary at the end of this list.
2nd ed., rev. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2006.
Music Library » Reference » ML100 .K36 2006
Cambridge [England] ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1994.
Music Library » Reference » ML108 .S88 1995
Warren, Mich. : Harmonie Park Press, 1990.
Music Library » Reference » ML108 .K21 1990
Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1995.
Music Library » Reference » ML108 .J67 1995
Bloomington : Indiana University Press, c1996.
Music Library » Reference » ML109 .F73 1996