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Reference Books | Electronic Reference Resources

Using reference sources in the library's Reference Collection can be very useful.

After looking at the titles that follow, you can use the reference collection to help you locate additional information on your topic in the circulating collection, or you can note the call number of a Reference book that is useful for your topic, for example The Musician's Business and Legal Guide (REF ML 3790 .M84 1991). Drop the REF and use the initial letters and numbers as a guide to finding similar material that circulates. If you wanted to find circulating books similar to The Musician's Business and Legal Guide, you would go to the second floor and browse the ML 3790 section.

Subject Specific Reference Books

Encyclopedias

Garland Encyclopedia of World Music (10 vols.)
REF. ML 100 .G16: The major encyclopedia on world music. Volumes focus on areas of the world with in-depth articles and accompanying CDs that illustrate the music.
Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart
REF. ML 100 .B68: Comprehensive music source, written in German.
New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd edition (28 vols.)
REF. ML 100 .N48: The standard, authoritative music encyclopedia. Articles are written by experts in the field with the primary emphasis on classical music.
New Grove Dictionary of American Music (4 vols.)
REF. ML 101 .U6 N48: Articles and topics specific to American music.
New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2 vols)
REF. ML 102 .J3 N48: The largest jazz dictionary, includes styles, performers, etc. on an international scope.
New Grove Dictionary of Opera (4 vols)
REF. ML 102 .O6 N5: In the manner of the other Grove volumes, with a focus on topics related to opera.
New Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4 vols.)
REF. ML 102 .P66 G84 1995: Individual artists and groups, styles, periods and discographies are included for all forms of popular music.

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Biographies

General

ASCAP Biographical Dictionary
REF. ML 106 .U3 A5 1980: Composers, authors, publishers: brief biographical info, lists of works.
Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians
REF. ML 105 .B16 1991
A Concise Biographical Dictionary of Singers
REF. ML 400 .K9813 1969: Noted singers since the development of recorded sound through apx. 1960s.
A Dictionary of Early Music
REF. ML 100 .R695: Brief biographical and term entries.
Great Composers, 1300-1900
REF. ML105 .E94: Includes both biographical and critical information.
Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music
REF. ML 105 .H38 1996
Latin American Classical Composers
REF. ML 105 .F53 1996
Musical AKAs: Assumed Names and Sobriquets of Composers, Songwriters, Librettists, Lyricists, Hymnists, and Writers on Music
REF. ML 105 .D76 2007: "An index to more than 15,500 assumed names and sobriquets of approximately 9,800 music composers, songwriters, lyricists, librettists, hymnists, and writers."

American

American Composers: A Biographical Dictionary
REF. ML 390 .E815
Composers in America
REF. ML 390 .R38: Composers of late 19th, early 20th century.
Musical American
REF. ML 106 .U3 M87 1997: Compilation of biographies appearing in Musical America from 1918-1926.
Popular American Composers
REF. ML 390 .E845 (and supplement): Revolutionary times to 1960, includes chronological list of composers and index of songs and other compositions.
Women and Music in America Since 1900: an Encyclopedia
REF. ML 82 .W625 2002: Covers the women who have made a significant contribution (in all roles) to music in the United States since 1900.

Jazz/Popular

Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz
REF. ML 102 .J3 F39 1999: Includes artists currently actively performing and those born in the nineteenth century.
Encyclopedia of Jazz in the Sixties
REF. ML 105 .F35: Biographical sketches of artists from the 1960s.
Encyclopedia of Jazz in the Seventies
REF. ML 105 .F36: Biographical sketches of artists from the 1970s.
Popular Musicians
REF. ML 105 .P66 1999: Information about popular U.S. artists since the late 1950s. Includes rock, pop, rap, country, soul, blues, disco and folk music.
They're Playing Our Song
REF. ML 385 .W436 1986: Interviews, personal reminiscences of composers, lyricists of musical theatre.
Who's Who of Jazz: Storyville to Swing Street
REF. ML 106 .U3 C5: Brief biographical entries of apx. 1000 musicians and vocalists born prior to 1920.

Twentieth Century/Contemporary

Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Musicians
REF. ML 105 .S612 1997
Composers Since 1900
REF. ML 390 .E833 (and supplement)
Contemporary Canadian Composers
REF. ML 106 .C3 C66
Dictionary of Contemporary Music
REF. ML 100 .V55: Brief biographical and term/genre entries.
European Composers Today
REF. ML 390 .E834: Biographical, critical guide to those composing after 1900.
Musicians Since 1900: Performers in Concert and Opera
REF. ML 105 .E97: Biographical sketches of 432 concert and opera musicians.
Thames and Hudson Encyclopaeida of 20th-Century Music
REF. ML 100 .G85: Brief biographical and term entries.

Women

Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers
REF. ML 105 .N67: Women composers of achievement (not promise) born prior to 1955.
Women and Music in America Since 1900: an Encyclopedia
REF. ML 82 .W625 2002: Covers the women who have made a significant contribution (in all roles) to music in the United States since 1900.
Women Composers: A Handbook
REF. ML 105 .S7: Very brief information with reference to sources of more extensive information.

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Bibliographies

The bibliographies listed below are general. There are many bibliographies for specific subject material, consult the I-Share Online Catalog or ask a Reference Librarian for assistance in locating them.

General Bibliography for Music Research
REF. ML 113 .M59 1996
Music Reference and Research Materials
REF. ML 113 .D83 1988

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Chronologies

Hall's Musical Years, The Twentieth Century 1900-1979
REF. ML17 .M8 H3: Survey of fine arts events: births, deaths, publications, debuts.

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Criticism

Music Criticism An Annotated Guide to the Literature
REF. ML 113 .D5

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Dictionaries

Baker's Dictionary of Music
REF. ML 100 .S635 1997
A Dictionary of Early Music
REF. ML 100 .R695: Brief biographical and term entries.
A Dictionary of Middle English Musical Terms
REF. ML 108 .C3
Dictionary of Contemporary Music
REF. ML 100 .V55: Brief biographical and term/genre entries.
Dictionary of Musical Terms
REF. ML 108 .P57
Dictionary of Musical Terms in Four Languages
REF. ML 108 .S64 D5
Dictionary of Musical Titles
REF. ML 102 .T58 R66 2000: Origins of names and titles of compositions.
Handbook of Music Terms
REF. ML 108 .G844 H3
Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music
REF. ML 100 .R28
Oxford Dictionary of Music
REF. ML 100.K35
Thames and Hudson Encyclopaeida of 20th-Century Music
REF. ML 100 .G85: Brief biographical and term entries.

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Directories

American Musical Directory 1861
REF. ML 13.A4 1980: Info. about music in N.Y. area in late 19th century: musicians, makers, teachers, etc.
The Schirmer Guide to Schools of Music and Conservatories Throughout the World
REF. ML 12 .U8 1988: Directory listings of music schools/departments in the United States and world.

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Discographies

Discographies for specific performers or areas of interest are also available. Locate these through the ILLINET Online Catalog or ask a Reference Librarian for assistance.

A Basic Music Library: Essential Scores and Sound Recordings
REF. ML 113 .B3 1997: Listings of recommended scores and recordings by period and genre.
The Blackwell Guide to the Music Theatre on Record
REF. ML 156.9 .G36: Lists of recordings and brief reviews of them for early musicals and operettas through the 1980s.
Classical Music Recordings: For Home and Library
REF. ML 111.5 H34: Lists of recommended works by composer and review sources.
The Complete Entertainment Discography: From 1897 to 1942
REF. ML 156.4 .P6 R68 1989: Lists by artists for commercial recordings from 1897-1942.
Recorded Classical Music: A Critical Guide to Compositions and Performance
REF. ML 156.9 .C63: Classical music recordings by genre and composer with brief commentary.

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Instruments

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Musical Instruments
REF. ML 102 .I5 I5 1996: Includes standard and rare instruments, pictures and illustrations.
Music Instruments
REF. ML 102 .I5 M37 1975: Brief descriptions, definitions.
The Percussionist's Dictionary
REF. ML 102 .P4 A3: Translations, descriptions, and photographs of percussion instruments from around the world.
The Piano: an Encyclopedia
REF. ML 102 .P5 E53 2003: Mid-length to long signed articles about the piano- its development, makers, music, etc. Includes pictures and bibliographies.
Scribner Guide to Orchestral Instruments
REF. ML 460 .S5: Brief descriptions and histories of instruments, some historical illustrations.
The Violin: a Research and Information Guide
REF. ML 128 .V4 K38 2006: "A comprehensive research guide to the violin...its makers, music, players, and performance practices."

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Jazz

Encyclopedia of Jazz in the Sixties
REF. ML 105 .F3: Biographical sketches of artists from the 1960s.
Encyclopedia of Jazz in the Seventies
REF. ML 105 .F36: Biographical sketches of artists from the 1970s.
The Guinness Jazz A - Z
REF. ML 102 .J3 C6
Harmony Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz
REF. ML102 .J3 C34 1987
Harmony Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock
REF. ML 102 .R6 C6 1986
Jazz The Essential Companion
REF. ML 102 .J3
New Grove Dictionary of Jazz
REF. ML 102 .J3 M48

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Music Business

For additional assistance in locating business materials and conducting business research visit the Business Resources page.

The Musician's Business and Legal Guide
REF. ML 3790 .M84 1991: A collection of articles by those in the music business addressing specific aspects of the topic.

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Musical Theatre

American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia
REF. ML 102 .M88 H59 1995: By song title: includes authors, shows, song history and background.
American Song: The Complete Musical Theatre Companion
REF. ML 128 .M78 B6 1996: 4,800 American musicals from 1900-1995. Includes composers, librettists, lyricists, cast, songs.
Blue Book of Broadway Musicals
REF. ML 200.5 .B88: Anthology of shows by decade, 1900-1952. Show titles, composer, lyricist, stars, list of songs in show.
Blue Book of Hollywood Musicals
REF. ML 128 .M7 B8: Chronology 1927-1952 of films: musicals, and various categories of films with songs. Summary of production companies, stars, directors, and lists of songs.
Broadway Musicals Show by Show
REF. ML 1711 .G735: Shows from 1866-1985, includes cast, composer, lyricist, producer, songs, and commentary.
Broadway Sheet Music: A Comprehensive Listing of Published Music From Broadway and Other State Shows, 1918-1993
REF. ML 128 .M78 S78 1996: Listings of live musical stage productions with songs, showing composers, lyricists, publishers, dates, comments.
Complete Book of the American Musical Theater
REF. ML 1711 .E9: 300 American musical productions (1866-1950s), includes plots, production history, stars, songs, composers, and writers.
Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre
REF. ML 102 .M88 G7: Includes people (composers, lyricists, librettists, directors, choreographers, producers), productions and songs for New York and London. Awards and prizes listings, bibliography.
Ganzl's Book of the Musical Theatre
REF. ML 95 .G2 1989: Synopsis of musicals with production information and character lists.
The Hollywood Musical
REF. ML 2075 .T4: Selected filmographies, indexes of names and songs.
Musicals! A Complete Selection Guide for Local Productions
REF. ML 19 .L9 1994: 500 currently available productions. Includes: title, date of production, playwright, composer, lyricist, plot summary, original cast, parts played, songs.
Musicals! A Directory of Musical Properties Available for Production
REF. ML 19 .L9: Alphabetical listing on musicals includes: publisher, anthologies, condensed versions, recordings, brief summary.
The Musicals No One Came To See
REF. ML 128 .M78 S 5: Unsuccessful musicals from 1943-1983 originating in New York. Includes music producers stars, and references to reviews.
Musical Theater Synopses: an Index
REF. ML 128 .O4 D76 1998: Index to locating information about plot synopses.
Opera, Operetta and Musical Comedy Synopses in Collections and Periodicals
REF. ML 128 .D4 D76
Show Tunes 1905-1985: The Songs, Shows and Careers of Broadway's Major Composers
REF. ML 390 .S983: Arranged by major composer with lists of shows including dates, number of performances, producer, director, published songs. Includes chronological listing of productions, song title index, people index, and show index.

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Opera

Annals of Opera, 1597 - 1940
REF. ML 102 .O6 L6: Chronological listing of operas by dates of first performance: composer, original title, librettist, place and date.
A Companion to the Opera
REF. ML 102 .O6 M37 1977: Listing by year of "some famous operas"; alphabetical listing of composer, singers, librettists, and conductors; opera by country.
Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera
REF. ML 102 .O6 R67 1979: Brief entries.
Crowell's Handbook of World Opera
REF. ML 102 .O6 M6: Numerous facts including opera synopsis, characters in opera, people in opera, first lines/titles of famous musical numbers, glossary of themes, recordings, chronology of opera.
Dictionary-Catalogue of Operas and Operettas
REF. ML 102 .O6 T8 1967: Listing of 28,015 operas giving composer, nationality, dates. Composer index with lists of operas, libretti and number of times set to music.
Guide to Operatic Roles & Arias
REF. ML 102 .O6 B650: Guide to opera roles including dates, type, range, and language.
New Encyclopedia of Opera
REF. ML 102 .O6 E9 1971: Includes operas (story, characters, performance info., passages), composers, text incipits, plots, terms, singers, librettists.
The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia
REF. ML 102 .O6 M47: Alphabetical arrangement of operas, composers, singers, librettists, etc. Includes selected essays by specialists in the field, chronology of first performance 1594 - 1986, bibliography.
Opera, Operetta and Musical Comedy Synopses in Collections and Periodicals
REF. ML 128 .D4 D76
Opera Plot Index
REF. ML 128 .O4 S8
Operas in One Act: A Production Guide
REF. MT 955 .S86 1997: Brief information about one act operas, including: duration, cast, instrumentation/accompaniment, scenes, style, setting, synopsis, production note, materials availability.
Simon & Schuster Book of the Opera
REF. ML 102 .O6 S5: Opera by year of first performance, includes synopsis, other info. about production.
Who's Who in Opera
REF. ML 102 .O6 B68 1998: Who's who of characters appearing in operas (not performers).
Who's Who in Opera
REF. ML 102 .O6 W5: An international biographical dictionary of singers, conductors, directors, designers, and administrators, including opera companies. Brief entries.

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Popular Music

American Popular Music: A Reference Guide
REF. ML 102 .P66 B65: Background information and resources lists for study of various genres of American popular music.
Blues Who's Who
REF. ML 102 .B6 H3: Biographical dictionary blues singers.
Dictionary of American Pop/Rock
REF. ML102 .P66 S5: Concise dictionary of terminology, jargon, styles. Limited artists/groups.
Encyclopedia of Folk, Country & Western Music
REF. ML 102 .F66 S78 1983
Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock, and Soul
REF. ML 102 .P66 S8 1989: Mostly biographical entries of major performers/groups, some lengthy. Includes lists of Gold/Platinum Records 1958 - 1988, and Grammy and Oscar winners 1958 - 1987.
Encyclopedia of the Blues
REF. ML 102 .B6 H412 1997: Primarily biographical information with bibliographies, discographies, and artist listings by instrument.
Encyclopedia of the World Pop Music: 1980-2001
REF. ML 102 .P66 J44 2003: Entries about the music that appears on the pop charts of other countries. Most entries include links to artist/band websites.
Harmony Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Music
REF. ML 102 .C7 D4 1987
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Black Music
REF. ML 105 .I39: Published 1982.
The Oxford Companion to Popular Music
REF. ML 102 .P65 G35: Entries for people, groups, styles, songs. Includes Indexes of People and Groups, Shows and Films, Songs and Album.
Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music
REF. ML 102 .P66 P46: Primarily performers, some songwriters, producers, record labels. Includes many genres of popular music.
Popular Music, 1900-1919
REF. ML 120 .U5 C6 1988: Includes title/alternate titles, country of origin, author/composer, publisher/copyright date, information about song's origin or performance history.
Popular Music Since 1955
REF. ML 128 .P63 T39: Brief intros and bibliographies on styles, time periods, pop artists and groups.
Rock Encyclopedia
REF. ML102 .P66 R7: Terms, groups, artists (includes album lists). Some obscure, lesser know groups: note publication date of 1969.
TopPop Singles, 1955-1996
REF. ML 156.4 .P6 J64 1997: Top singles by artist and year. Many other top pop tidbits.
Variety Music Cavalcade
REF. ML 128 .V7 M4: Chronological listing of popular music (1800-1961), based on year of publication or copyright. Includes index by title.
Who's Who in Rock Music
REF. ML 102 .R6 Y7 1982: Very brief entries on 13,000 performers on rock albums.

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Songs

The Complete Lyrics of Lorenz Hart
REF. ML 54.6 .H4 H41986

The Complete Lyrics of Cole Porter
REF. ML 54.6 .P7 K5 1984

The Complete Lyrics of Ira Gershwin
REF. ML 54.6 .G28 K551993

Find That Tune: An Index to Rock, Folk-rock, Disco & Soul in Collections
REF. ML128 .R6 F56 1988

Indexes by title, first line, performer, composer, lyricist.

The Great Song Thesaurus
REF. ML 128 .S3 L4 1989

Index of American Popular Music
REF. ML 120 .U5 B92

Index to Poetry in Music: a Guide to Poetry Set as Solo Songs by 125 Major Composers
REF. ML 128 .S3 B68 2003

Entries are indexed by composer and poet (all Western).

SongCite: An Index to Popular Songs
REF. ML 128 .P63 G65 1995

Who Wrote That Song?
REF. ML 120 .U5 J23

Index to 12,000 American popular songs (mid 19th century - 1980s): year, composer, lyricist, publisher, performer, musical. Lists of composers and songs.

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Translations

Lieder Line by Line
REF. ML 54.6 .P55 L5 1996
Masters of the French Art Song: Translations of the Complete Songs of Chausson, Debussy, Duparc, Faure & Ravel
REF. ML 54.6 .M33 2001
Masters of the Italian Art Song : Word-by-word and Poetic Translations of the Complete Songs for Voice and Piano
REF. ML 54.6 .M34 1990
Schubert's Complete Song Texts (with International Phonetic Alphabet Transcriptions, Word for Word Translations, and Commentary) (2 vols.)
REF. ML 54.6 .S39 G5
Texts of the Vocal Works of Johannes Brahms in English Translation
REF. ML 54.6 .B8 D7
Word by Word Translations of Songs and Arias (Part I, German and French)
REF. ML 54.6 .W65 pt.1
Word by Word Translations of Songs and Arias (Part II- Italian)
REF. ML 54.6 .W65 pt.2

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Ask a librarian at the Research Assistance Desk
if you need help in locating these sources.

Electronic Reference Sources

Credo Reference: is a searchable collection of 100 reference titles containing a range of subjects useful to music professionals including: bilingual dictionaries, quotations, and music. Entries range from short to medium length and may include images and/or audio (especially useful for pronunciations of non-English words).
Peterson's College Guides: Online versions of the printed guides. Guides to undergraduate, graduate and vocational-technical schools. Searchable by name or location.

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