Music Reference Resources - Classical Instrumental
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The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, edited by Sadie (1984).
Ref. ML102 .I5 N48 1984, vs. 1-3 Music Library and Tutt Library
An encyclopedia of musical instruments of the world, Western emphasis. Scholarly approach, many illustrations, some bibliographies.
Chamber Music-An International Guide to Works and Their Instrumentation, by Rangel-Ribiero and Markel (1993).
Ref. ML128 .C4 R3 1993
A selective guide to instrumental music from the time of Haydn to the early 1990’s. Arranged by composer/work, in a table format.
Musical Instruments-A Comprehensive Dictionary, by Marcuse (1975).
Ref. ML102 .I5 M37 1975 Tutt Library
An authoritative encyclopedia of musical instruments from around the world. Concludes with list of sources.
Subject Guide to Classical Instrumental Music, by Goodeberger (1989).
Ref. ML128 .I65 G59 1989
An interesting attempt to organize instrumental musical works by their programmatic aspects (what they’re about). Includes works from 1600 to modern, with a heavy concentration on compositions of the 19th century. Includes bibliography and index of subject headings.
Guide to the Pianist’s Repertoire, second, enlarged, revised edition, by Hinson (1987).
Ref. ML128 .P3 H5 1987
An exhaustive index of music for the piano. The author has authored several additional works that index piano music with other instruments. These are found together, at ML 128 .P3.
One Handed-A Guide to Piano Music for One Hand, compiled by Patterson (1999).
Ref. ML128 .P3 P38 1999
This source lists original and arranged works for solo one hand, as well as works including other performers. A selected discography is included.
The Pianist’s Dictionary, by Hinson.
Ref. ML 102 .P5 H46 2004
Contains brief entries of piano terms, composers, teachers, and performers.
Orchestral Music-A Handbook, third edition, by Daniels (1996).
Ref. ML128 .O5 D3 1996
A listing of orchestral forces required for the performance of many standard works. The author limits entries to scores he has examined personally. Appendices include many useful resources for orchestral programming and repertoire selection.
The Literature of Chamber Music, by Cohn (1997).
Ref. ML 1100 .C73 1997
The author defines chamber music as “music to be performed by one player to a part and for groups of two to nine players”. This 4-volume work includes all types and periods of classical music, arranged alphabetically by composer. Each entry provides a brief, yet informative description of the work.
The Twentieth-Century String Quartet-An Historical Introduction and Catalogue, compiled by Lawrence (2001).
Ref. ML128 .C4 L37 2001
A printed database, organized by composer. Appendices include Summaries by Countries, Contexts for Selected Composers and a publisher’s index.
A Handbook of Literature for the Flute-Compilation of Graded Method Materials, Solos, and Ensemble Music for Flutes, revised, third edition, by Pellerite.
Ref. ML128 .F7 P4 1978
Listed by composer, entries are categorized by type of flute and compositional material. Each category is further divided into grade of difficulty. Additional categories list music for flutes and other instruments.
Clarinet Literature in Outline, by Heim (1984).
(Ref) ML128 .C58 H44 1984
This work lists many musical works for the clarinet. Pieces are grouped by musical period, within an entry for each composer. Each musical work is briefly described.
A Comprehensive Guide to the Saxophone Repertoire-1844-2003,
by Londeix, edited by Ronkin.
Ref. ML128 .S247 L63 2003
Works are separately indexed by composer, instrumentation, “saxophone with” (other nonsax instruments), etc. Also included are indexes of music publishers, addresses of unpublished composers, and a bibliography.
Electric Guitars-The Illustrated Encyclopedia, by Bacon (2000).
Ref. ML1015 .G9 B19 2000
Begins with short history of the guitar. Great illustrations and descriptions of guitars and the artists who developed and played them. Includes glossary and bibliography.
Encyclopedia of Percussion, edited by Beck.
Ref. ML102 .P4 E5 1995
Includes an Alphabetical Listing of Percussion Instruments and Terms, illustrations of instruments, and a collection of articles about percussion instruments. Useful appendices include: selections from Lang and Spivack’s Dictionary of Percussion Terms, a table of instruments and terms in various languages, and a list of published writings on percussion instruments.
Electronic
Grove Music Online , Oxford University Press (2004).
Based on The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Grove Music Online is enhanced by the electronic capability of sound files, 3D illustrations, links to external internet sources, and frequent updating of material. Other articles, from specialist dictionaries such as The New Grove Dictionary of Opera and The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, second edition, are now available via a link from Grove Music Online’s primary article.
Instrument Encyclopedia-a sampler of some of the world’s most interesting musical instruments.
http://www.si.umich.edu/chico/instrument/
This site provides general and historical information on musical instruments of the world. It includes some references and sound files. Information is organized by major instrument groups, the Sachs-Hornbostel classification, and geographic region. A glossary and links to related sites are provided.
Instruments and Instrument Makers Sites-from Classical.Net
http://www.classical.net/music/links/instlink.html#gen
This site includes links to specific instruments and their makers.