The Fondren Music Collection for Visitors: Home
Introduction
This guide gives an overview on how to find and research music in Fondren Library. Below is a list of more specific music research guides.
Search the Library Catalog in OneSearch
OneSearch - enter your keywords below.
- OneSearch will find books, e-books, periodicals, films, music scores and CDs, audio recordings, government publications, archival materials, maps, as well as individual journal or newspaper articles.
- To find the location of a call number consult this "stack location guide".
Didn't find what you need? Try the following options:
- WorldCat This link opens in a new windowWorldCat, available on the FirstSearch interface, is a combined catalog for over 70,000 libraries in 170 countries. The information is updated daily.
- Interlibrary Loan (aka ILLiad)If Fondren Library does not have the book or article you need ...
Browsing the shelves for music
The Brown Fine Arts Library is located on the third floor of Fondren Library. Music scores, books, and both current issues and bound volumes of music periodicals, are kept here, along with the music librarian's office. Sound and video recordings, and course reserve materials, are held behind the main circulation desk on the first floor.
If you want to browse our collection for a certain type of music (e.g. flute solos), the call number arrangement makes it easy to do so. Click on the links below for the full outline of music call numbers.
| M – Music Score | Organized by size of ensemble: M100s = solos; M200s = duets, etc. M1000s are orchestral works; M1500s are operas/musicals; M2000s are choral works. |
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Within these large categories, scores are organized by instrumentation, then by composer. If you want to browse all string quartets, search 'string quartets' by keyword and narrow by score to get a more specific call number than M400. |
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| ML – Books, information about music | ML410 is the call number for composer biographies, arranged alphabetically by name. |
| MT – Music Education | Books on learning about any aspect of music, including how to play various instruments. |
Biographical Sources
Baker's biographical dictionary of musicians. 9th ed. New York: Schirmer Books, 2001. 6 vols. MUSIC REF ML105 .B16 2001.
Baker's biographical dictionary of musicians. 9th ed. 2001. [eresource]
Baker's biographical dictionary of popular musicians, 2004. [eresource]
The new Grove dictionary of women composers. Julie Anne Sadie and Rhian Samuel, eds. London: Macmillian, 1994. ML105 .N48 1994
Contemporary composers. Chicago: St. James, 1992. brian Morton and Pamela Collins, eds. MUSIC REF ML390 .C66 1992
Subject Guide
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
The Harvard dictionary of music. Don Michael Randel, ed. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press, 2003. MUSIC REF ML100 .A64 2003
The standard English language, non-biographical music dictionary. Provides accurate, pertinent information on all music topics. Includes selective bibliographies.
The new Grove dictionary of music and musicians. Stanley Sadie, ed. London: Macmillan, 2001. 29 vols.
MUSIC REF ML100 .N48 2001
The standard English language comprehensive music encyclopedia. Entries on music history, composers, theory and practice, musical instruments, and terms. Online version is updated continuously.
Specialized Works
The new Grove dictionary of American music. Stanley Sadie and H. Wiley Hitchcock, eds. London: Macmillan, 1986. 4 vols. MUSIC REF ML101 .U6 N48 1986
The new Grove dictionary of musical instruments. Stanley Sadie, ed. London: Macmillan, 1984. 3 vols. MUSIC REF ML102 .I5 N48 1984
The new Grove dictionary of opera. Stanley Sadie, ed. London: Macmillan, 1992. 4 vols. MUSIC REF ML102 .O6 N5 1992
The online version is updated continuously. The search function searches the main New Grove Dictionary at the same time.
The encyclopedia of popular music. Colin Larkin, ed. 4th ed. New York: Muze UK; Oxford University Press, 2006. 10 vols.
MUSIC REF ML102 .P66 G84 1998
The Garland encyclopedia of world music. Bruno Nettl and Ruth M. Stone, eds. New York: Garland. 10vols. MUSIC REF ML102 .P66 G84.
Davis, John S. Historical dictionary of jazz. Scarecrow Press, 2012. MUSIC REF ML102 .J3 D38 2012.
The biographical encyclopedia of jazz. Leonard Feather. Oxford Univ. Pr., 1999. MUSIC REF ML102 .J3 F4 1999.
- New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians / Oxford Music Online This link opens in a new windowThis music compendium, itself a part of Oxford Music Online, includes the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, the New Grove Dictionary of Opera, and the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz.
- Performing Arts Encyclopedia This link opens in a new windowExplore music, theater and dance at the Library of Congress.