This guide is a selective list of useful music reference sources available in the Library and on the Internet. It is not by any means a complete list.  If you have any questions please ask Jennifer Bollerman, the Music Librarian, by calling x6995 or by sending an e-mail to Music.Librarian@lawrence.edu or contact another Reference Librarian by calling x6752.

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Background Information

 Opera:

Viking Opera Guide. Ref. ML102.O6 V55 1993. 

Consists of 800 articles on opera composers. Each article includes biographical information on the composer followed by discussion of each opera in chronological order. Duration, premiere dates, librettist, source of libretto, cast, orchestra size, and synopsis are given for the "major operas." Also gives information on recordings, videos, and editions.

Musical Theater:

 

Bloom, Ken. American Song: The Complete Musical Theatre Companion. 2 vols. 1985. Ref. ML128.M78 B6 1985.

Provides data on over 3,000 American musicals from 1900 to 1984, including for each one a listing of all songs, date opened, composer, lyricist, and cast. Volume 2 indexes personnel, song titles, and shows by year.

 

Gänzl, Kurt. Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre. Ref. ML102.M88 G3 1994.

Information on over 2,000 people and plays of the musical theatre.

 

Hummel, David. Collector's Guide to the American Musical Theatre. 2 vols. Ref. q. ML156.4.O46 H85 1984.

Volume one lists shows with original cast and songs. Vol. 2 is a personal name index.

 

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Repertoire Guides:

You can search LUCIA, the library's online catalog, in either a command line or Telnet format or a Web format. The searches given here are described for the Telnet version of LUCIA. The Telnet version is the recommended interface for finding music-related materials. 

 

The following are sources designed to assist in the selection of vocal repertoire. For a complete list of these sources available in the Library go to LUCIA and do a subject search such as  s=vocal music bibliography or s=songs bibliography.

 

Aria Database

Database of over 1000 arias. Searcheable by aria, opera, composer, and role. Information spotty. 

 

Boldrey, Richard. Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias. 1994. Ref.ML102.O2 B62 (Roles), Ref. ML102.O2 B6 (Duets).

Intended to help the singer find operatic roles and arias suitable to her or his voice type or voice characteristics. Multiple cross-referenced indexes: voice categories to roles, arias (listed alphabetically, giving role, opera, and composer), voice categories to arias, singers (listing their voice categories and special roles), voice categories to singers, operas to roles, and composers to operas. Includes a lengthy introductory essay on voice categories. See also the companion volume, Guide to Operatic Duets.

 

Coffin, Berton. Singer's Repertoire. 5 vols. 1960. ML128.V7 C67 1960.

Classified listing of songs and arias for each voice type. Volume 5 is a compilation of program notes for individual songs and arias.

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Plots and Summaries

Kobbé's Complete Opera Book. 1987. Ref. MT95 .K52 1987.

Historical information and plot summaries for over 300 operas from Monteverdi to Philip Glass

 

New Grove Dictionary of Opera. 4 vols. 1992. Ref. ML102.O6 N5 1992.

Articles on all aspects of opera, opera composers, librettists, singers, companies, theaters, etc. Includes brief bibliographies. Look up operas under title for historical information, musical analysis, and extensive plot summaries.

 

Drone, Jeanette Marie. Music Theater Synopses: An Index. Ref. q. ML128.O4 D76.

Index to opera and music theater synopses included in other sources.

 

Viking Opera Guide. Ref. ML102.O6 V55 1993. 

Consists of 800 articles on opera composers. Each article includes biographical information on the composer followed by discussion of each opera in chronological order. Synopsis are given for the "major operas."

 

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Librettos 

To find librettos: 

You can search LUCIA, the library's online catalog, in either a command line or Telnet format or a Web format. The searches given here are described for the Telnet version of LUCIA. The Telnet version is the recommended interface for finding music-related materials.

Books are arranged on the library's shelves by Library of Congress Classification. This is a system which organizes materials by general subjects. Once you have a call number from searching LUCIA, see this guide to call number locations at Mudd to find out where a book might be on the shelves. Books about Music (ML's and MT's) are located on the 3rd floor. ML's and MT's having a [q.] in their call number are shelved immediately after the regular ML's and MT's. The [q.] designates a book as being larger. ML's and MT's in the reference section (1st floor) are shelved together regardless of size. 

Try the same subject headings in WISCAT or WorldCat to find materials beyond the Mudd. See a reference librarian if you need help. 

Other Potentially Useful Headings:
Try a SUBJECT search in  LUCIA using the terms below to locate books in our Library. 

Try WISCAT or WorldCat to find materials beyond the Mudd. See a reference librarian if you need help. 

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Books and music are arranged on the library's shelves by Library of Congress Classification. This is a system which organizes materials by general subjects. Major classification areas  for music include M Music (scores or recordings) ML Music literature (books about music history, genres, musicians, etc.) and MT Music teaching and technical areas (books on music education, theory, listener's guides, pedagogy of individual instruments or ensembles). See Introduction to the M Class for more information. 

It is useful to know call number ranges for your area of interest but do not rely on browsing as your sole means of locating items. Click here for a printable version of useful call number ranges to take with you .

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Finding Articles and Journals

The Mudd Library currently receives over eighty music periodicals. Current issues are located on the first floor by the south windows, arranged in alphabetical order. Older, bound issues are arranged by title on the second floor.

Some useful titles in Mudd include:
Journal of Voice
Journal of Singing (formerly NATS Journal)
Teaching Music
Voice of Chorus America (formerly American Choral Review)
Opera
Opera News
Performing Arts Journal
Choral Journal

 

The following  can be used to search for articles on performance, pedagogy, history, etc.:

 

RILM Abstracts of Music Literature (Campus Access Only)

Available via FirstSearch. RILM indexes periodicals as well as books, collections of essays, dissertations, videos, conference proceedings, etc. Indexes sources in many languages. 1969-present.

 

International Index to Music Periodicals (Campus Access Only)

IIMP is an electronic index to current English language music periodicals. Like Music Index, some foreign tiles are also included. 1996-present. Some journals are indexed back to 1874.

 

Music Index (Campus Access Only)

Music Index covers primarily English language music periodicals but does include some foreign language titles. The Music Index is also available in print format, 1949-

Once you have a citation for an article on your topic, look in LUCIA for the title of the journal to see if the library owns it. You should also search JAKE, an automated search of the library's fulltext databases, for electronic copies of articles.

Companies, Houses, and Schedules

Coordinated Opera Resource Pages  

Links to information on 641 houses and festivals: A-Z lists ordered by city, by company name and by country; interactive maps; and other resources. Links to biographies, synopses, libretti, discographies etc of 132  composers and 292 operas: A-Z lists by composer, by opera; timelines; other resources. Schedule services, free and not free sources for opera news and reviews, Descriptions of, and links to various on-line forums relating to opera and classical music: Mailing lists and their tools, Newsgroups and their tools, CDs, Books, Videos.   

Opera America

Opera America's website provides season schedules for more than 200 of the world's companies, broadcast information and statistical information on opera attendance, performances and audience demographics.

OperaBase

Provides full schedule information for hundreds of opera companies worldwide. Search the Operabase schedules (back to 1999) for a specified Singer/Role, Conductor or Producer, and follow links to production details. Offers reviews, bios, discographies era reviews,  plus information on opera houses and festivals.   

Zietz, Karyl Lynn. Opera Companies and Houses of the United States: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Reference. 1995. Ref. ML13 .Z54 1995.  

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 Opera on Record

The following are critical works on opera recordings:

Blyth, Alan. Opera on Record. Ref. ML156.4.O46 O55.

Nice essays on specific operas with analytical comments on their recordings. 

Boyden, Matthew.  Opera the Rough Guide: the Complete Guide to the Operas, Composers, Artists and Recordings. 2nd Edition. Ref. ML102.O6 B69 1999.

Arranged in chronological order by composer. Each entry includes an essay on the composer followed by commentary on each opera with synopsis and recording overview. Also includes a directory of singers with critical commentary and recital recording recommendations. Directory of conductors without recording recommendations is found as well as a glossary.

 

Gruber, Paul. Metropolitan Opera Guide to Recorded Opera. Ref. ML156.4.O46 M5 1993. 

Guide to the most important opera recordings for each era. Arranged by composer and then opera. Critical commentary is given for each recording. 

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Definitions of terms and abbreviations:

Ref. = Reference collection, first floor 
ML.= Books on third floor 
Periodicals = Current issues; first floor, south end: Titles starting A - B on first floor, C - Z on second floor 
MT = Books on third floor
Index Tables = Next to the windows, first floor, north end. 
q. = Oversized books: interfiled in reference; at end of classes in other collections 

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