Music: A Guide to Finding Information

This page provides information about some of the major music information resources (electronic and in print) that are owned or accessible through OWU and is intended to help you with your music research.  Each item includes location information and a summary of its content.  Please click on one of the categories below:

Databases | Dictionaries & Encyclopedias | Bibliographies | Bio-Bibliographies | Tutorials | Internet Resources |

Databases

JSTOR

Short for "Journal Storage", JSTOR provides the full-text of scholarly journals from a variety of subject areas. It includes a music collection that is international in scope. All of the journals included within JSTOR have their own range of yearly coverage. This slowly expands through what JSTOR terms its "moving wall." It represents the time period between the most recent issue available in JSTOR and the most recently published issue of a journal. The gap is generally between 3 and 5 years.

Music-in-print Series: Choral and Band Components

Provides information about thousands of published pieces of music. Information includes details about the instrumentation/voicing, publisher, duration, editor/arranger, musical period, etc.. This database is divied into several components that generally deal with either an instrument group (brass, string, etc.) or an ensemble type (jazz ensemble, choral, etc.). Ohio Wesleyan University subscribes to only two of these components: choral and band.

Music Index
(Music Reference - Unclassified)

In print, this is a multi-volume set that provides subject/author access to the music periodical literature. It provides citations for reviews (book, music, recording, performance), obituaries, and news & articles about music, musicians, and the music industry. Each volume represents a single year of periodical literature. OWU owns volumes from 1959 to the present.

Oxford Music Online

Provides information on a variety of musicians and musical topics from around the world. Entries generally include an extensive bibliography, and in the case of composers, a complete listing of his or her known works. Musical examples, web links, and illustrations are often included. Grove Online is updated yearly.

This database integrates the contents of three print resources (located in music reference): New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd edition, the New Grove Dictionary of Opera, and the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd edition. (See 'Dictionaries and Encyclopedias' for a description of these print resources).

RILM Abstracts of Musical Literature

This database contains citations and abstracts to a variety of musical literature from 1967 to the present. Entries include materials in over 200 languages, and in a variety of formats (articles, dissertations, festschriften, books, bibliographies, discographies, etc.). The content is updated monthly.

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
(Music Reference - ML 100 .N48 2001)

"The standard multi-volume musical reference work for the English-speaking world." It provides information on a variety of musicians and musical topics from around the world. Entries generally include an extensive bibliography, and in the case of composers, a complete listing of his or her known works. Musical examples and illustrations are often included. The contents of the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians can also be found electronically in Grove Online (see 'Databases' for a description of this resource).

This dictionary is actually part of a "New Grove" series, where the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is the largest and broadest in scope. Within the series are smaller sets that address narrower topics in music (opera, jazz, musical instruments, and American music). Each of these can be found in the reference section of the OWU music library.

The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music
(Music Reference - ML 100 .G16 1997)

A multi-volume set that is devoted to world music (or non-western music). Each volume deals with a specific geographical area, including (Africa, South America, U.S. and Canada, South Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, Europe, Australia and the Pacific Islands), and features this basic layout: 1 - introduction to the region, 2 - discussion of its major musical issues, 3 - discussion of its individual music cultures. Each volume also includes a glossary, index, bibliography, illustrations, musical examples, and a compact disc (shelved with music cd's).

Die Music in Geschichte und Gegenwart: Allgemeine Enzyklopädie der Music
(Music Reference - ML 100 .M987)

Written in German, this is a multivolume set that deals with a variety of musicians and musical topics from around the world. It is divided into two parts: "Sachteil", which contains musical concepts, and "Personenteil", which contains biographical information. Bibliographies follow most entries, and in the case of composers, a list of known works. Illustrations and musical examples are often included. This series is still in progress.

New Harvard Dictionary of Music
(Music Reference - ML 100 .N485 1986)

In one volume, this book defines a variety of musical terminology and topics (non-biographical) from around the world. It focuses on Western art music, but also defines material related to jazz, popular music, and world music. Bibliographies are located at the end of each entry, and musical examples and illustrations are often included.

Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians
(Music Reference - ML 105 .B16 2001)

A multi-volume set that provides brief biographies on musicians that are both living and dead. It focuses on classical musicians, but also provides information on musicians from popular music, rock, and jazz. Following each entry is a bibliography and a works list in the case of composers. A separate index is included.

Bibliographies

Music Reference and Research Materials, 5th edition
(Music Reference - ML113.D83 1997)

This book is essentially a bibliography of bibliographies related to a wide variety of topics in music. Its purpose is to serve as a springboard into the bibliographical resources for musical scholarship. The entries are organized by resource type, and include brief annotations. An index is included and is the best point of entry into the contents of this book.

Bio-Bibliographies

(Music Stacks - ML 134)

These resources gather together research on major composers of Western Art Music. Bibliographic references and annotations are included. Typically bio-bibliographies also include a brief biography of the composer, a chronology of his or her life, and a detailed lists of known works.

Tutorials

Writing About Music: An Introductory Guide
(Music Stacks - ML3797.W54 2002)

Focuses mainly on writing, but also offers guidance on music analysis and research. Chapters include: 1 - Writing about music, 2 - Analysis and Research, 3 - Getting Started - Research, 4 - Writing a Research Paper, 5 - Questions of Format, 6 - Other Kinds of Writing Projects, 7 - Writing Style, 8 - Common Writing Problems. A sample paper is included.

Introduction to Research in Music
(Music Reference - MT1.W825 2001)

Similar to Writing About Music but with much more emphasis on research. Chapters include: 1 - Research in Music, 2 - Print Resources for Research in Music, 3 - Print Resources for Locating Music, 4 - Electronic Resources for Research, 5 - History of Notation, 6 - Publishing, and Printing, 7 - Planning a Paper, 8 - Writing a Paper, 9 - Format and Style, 10 - Sample Article and Discussion.

Web Sites

Worldwide Internet Music Resources

Created by the William and Gayle Cook Music Library at Indiana University, this site offers links to a variety of music related websites. They cover a wide range of topics and musical styles.