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Music Databases


Not sure where to start? The Music Index and RILM are the best databases to search for music related articles, reviews, dissertations and more. RILM is more scholarly in nature, but it is good to try searching both of them to get a complete picture of materials available for your topic. Remember that the New Grove is also online (via Grove Music Online) and that Worldcat is a great database to tap into to extend your search beyond Cameo for books, scores, journals, and more. If your research is more interdisciplinary in nature, then be sure to take a look at the Research Guides for other disciplines under Research Help from the Libraries Home Page. Need to know what music is in print for your instrument? Be sure to take a look at Music-in-Print. We also subscribe to Classical Music Library, Naxos Music Library, and Naxos Fantasy Jazz to help supplement our CD collection. Classical Scores Library supplements our print scores collection.

If you are affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University and are trying to access any of the databases from home, be sure to authenticate using the WebVPN.

• Classical Music Library (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  A growing collection of recordings with a supplementary reference database, enabling patrons to listen to music both on campus or at home (by accessing the service via the library's secure system remotely) while simultaneously searching and browsing the Classical reference database. Content partners include Hyperion, Vox, Vanguard, Arabesque, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sanctuary and many other respected labels. Note: Flash Player 6 is required for all systems (Mac and PC).
  
  The library currently has a 3-simultaneous user license to this product. If you are unable to access it, please try again later or contact Kristin Heath, Music & Catalog Librarian, kheath@andrew.cmu.edu, if problems persist.
  
  
• Classical Scores Library (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  Will contain 400,000 pages of the most important classical music scores, manuscripts, and previously unpublished material, allowing for the study and analysis of more than 8,000 musical scores. Many items have associated audio tracks in Classical Music Library, so that subscribers to both databases can listen to a recording online while following along with the full score. Content in this first release includes 800 scores (approx. 25,000 pages) of in-copyright material from Boosey and Hawkes and selected material from the University Music Editions microfilm series.
  
  
• Grove Music Online (Carnegie Mellon users only) now part of Oxford Music Online
  Grove Music Online comprises the full text of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London, 2001), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, edited by Stanley Sadie (London, 1992), and The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, second edition, edited by Barry Kernfeld (London, 2002). Articles that have been updated since their appearance in print are date-stamped in the upper right corner of the screen.
  
  
• JSTOR Music Collection (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  contains the complete back runs of 36 titles dedicated to scholarly research and theory in the field of music. Does not contain the most current issues, usually from the beginning of the journal up to five years ago. Title List
  
  
• The Music Index Online (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1975-present (online)
  1949-1976 (FA-REF-4 016.7805 M98 - print version in Art Reference)
  Comprehensive searchable online index which provide citations for articles appearing in music-related scholarly and popular journals and magazines.
  
  
• Music-in-Print (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  A searchable database of published music in print from U.S. and foreign publishers. Includes Sacred Choral, Secular Choral, Classical Vocal, Orchestral, String, Classical Guitar, Woodwind, Piano, and Organ Music In Print. A new feature is a collection entitled Miscellaneous Music In Print which includes several important categories coming soon to The Music-In-Print Series: Band, Brass, Handbell, Percussion, Harp, and more. Also Includes a Publisher Directory that contains the name and address of the publisher, U.S. agents who distribute the publications, and websites for publishers when available.
  
  
• Musical America (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  The business source for the performing arts. It contains information on thousands of artists, managers, orchestras, opera companies, dance companies, festivals, performing arts series, service organizations, competitions, music schools and more.
  
  
• Naxos Music Library (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  Naxos Music Library is a comprehensive collection of classical music available online. It includes the complete Naxos, Marco Polo and Dacapo catalogues of over 246,000+ tracks, including Classical music, Jazz, World, Folk, New Age, and Chinese music. While listening, you can read notes on the works being played as well as biographical information on composers or artists in Naxos's extensive database. All these are accessible from computers in the University Libraries, home, or office.

  Technical Issues, including system requirements.
  
  The library currently has a 5-simultaneous user license to this product. If you are unable to access it, please try again later or contact Kristin Heath, Music & Catalog Librarian, kheath@andrew.cmu.edu, if problems persist.
  

• Naxos Fantasy Jazz Collection (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  The Naxos Fantasy Jazz collection gives subscribers access to over 20,000 tracks (more than 2,000 CDs) from the world renowned artists and collections of Fantasy Records. Fantasy Records (and its subsidiary Galaxy) were established in San Francisco in 1949 by Max and Sol Weiss. Over the years, Fantasy acquired other recording companies, including: Prestige (also including its subsidiaries New Jazz, Bluesville, Folklore, Swingville, Tru-Sound, and Moodsville), Riverside, Milestone, Stax Records (and affiliated labels Volt, Enterprise, and Gospel Truth), Contemporary/Good Time Jazz, Specialty, Takoma, and Kicking Mule.

  These acquisitions have united many famous names under the Fantasy label, including: Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan, Odetta, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Isaac Hayes, Albert King, Hampton Hawes, André Previn, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie, Little Richard, Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers, Percy Mayfield, Lloyd Price, Joe Liggins, John Fahey, and Leo Kottke.

  The library currently has a 5-simultaneous user license to this product. If you are unable to access it, please try again later or contact Kristin Heath, Music & Catalog Librarian, kheath@andrew.cmu.edu, if problems persist.
  

• The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. See Oxford Music Online.
  
  
• The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). See Oxford Music Online.
  
  
• The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. See Oxford Music Online.
  
  
• Oxford Music Online (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  The gateway into music research and the access point for Oxford music reference subscriptions and publications. Many search options. Search all publications or select from Grove Music Online, The Oxford Dictionary of Music, The Oxford Companion to Music.
  
  
• RILM Abstracts of Music Literature (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1969- (updated monthly).
  Citations and some abstracts from international music publications corresponding to the printed RILM Abstracts of Music Literature. This file is produced by the Repertoire International de Litterature Musicale. Articles, books, bibliographies, catalogues, conference proceedings, discographies, dissertations, ethnographic recordings, Festschriften, films, iconographies, and videos are all covered by RILM. Concert reviews, recording notes, and pedagogical manuals are indexed if they are of scholarly interest.
  
  
• WorldCat (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1200 - (updated daily).
  Bibliographic descriptions of any type of material, including scores and recordings, cataloged by OCLC member libraries world-wide. Good for identifying materials for possible interlibrary loan.