Music Research: Music Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Comprehensive General Music Encyclopedias

Finscher, Ludwig. Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart: Allgemeine Enzyklopëdie der Musik, 2nd ed. (Sachteil/subject volumes only)
ML 100 .M92 1994 (Sach. Bd. 1-9 + index): Music Library, Reference

Grove Music Online
(online)
Part of the Oxford Music Online database. Essential encyclopedia of music that includes the full contents of New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed.; New Grove Dictionary of Opera; and New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd ed; along with partial content of Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd ed., and Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments.

Sadie, Stanley. New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed.
ML 100 .N48 2001 (vol. 1-29): Music Library, Reference; and also Alkek, floor 6

Music Encyclopedias and Dictionaries for Specific Geographical Places

Casares Rodicio, Emilio. Diccionario de la música española e hispanoamericana
ML 101 .S7 D53 1999 (vol. 1-10): Music Library, Reference

Garland Encyclopedia of World Music Online
(online)

Garrett, Charles Hiroshi. New Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd ed.
ML 101 .U6 N48 2013 (vol. 1-8): Music Library, Reference

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Music of India (Oxford U, 2011)
(online)

Biographical Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

General Biographical Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, 9th ed. (2001)
ML 105 .B16 2001 (vols. 1-6): Music Library, Reference

Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Classical Musicians (1997)
ML 105 .S612 1997: Music Library, Reference

Contemporary Composers (Morton/Collins, 1992)
ML 105 .C75 1992: Music Library, Reference

The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music (1996)
ML 105 .H38 1996: Music Library, Reference

Honegger, Marc. Dictionnaire de la musique: Les hommes et leurs oeuvres, New ed., 2 vols. (Bordas, 1993)
ML 100 .D57 1993: Music Library, Reference

International Who's Who in Classical Music (annual)
ML 106 .G7 W442 2021: Music Library, Reference
Note: The library acquires an updated volume every 2 years.

Riemann Musik Lexicon: Personenteil, 12th ed. (Gurlitt, 1959-61)
ML 100 .R52 (vols. 1-3): Music Library, Reference

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of Women Musicians

International Encyclopedia of Women Composers, 2nd ed. (Cohen, 1987)
ML 105 .C7 1987 (vols. 1-2): Alkek, 6th floor

The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers (Sadie/Samuel, 1994)
ML 105 .N66 1994: Music Library, Reference

Women and Music in America Since 1900: An Encyclopedia (Burns, 2002)
ML 82 .W625 2002 (vols. 1-2): Music Library, Reference

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of Black Musicians

International Dictionary of Black Composers (1999)
ML 105 .I5 1999 (vols. 1-2): Music Library, Reference

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of American Musicians

Who's Who in American Music: Classical (Cattell, 1983)
ML 106 .U3 W35 1983: Music Library: Reference

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of Canadian Musicians

Contemporary Canadian Composers (MacMillan/Beckwith, 1975)
ML 106 .C3 C66: Alkek, 6th floor

Dictionaries of Musical Terms

The Audio Dictionary, 3rd ed. (White, 2005)
(online)

Dictionary of Music Education (Collins, 2013)
ML 102 .M76 C65 2013: Music Library, Reference

The Harvard Dictionary of Music, 4th ed. (Randel, 2003)
ML 100 .A64 2003: Music Library, Reference
also online

Musical Terminology: A Practical Compendium in Four Languages (Boccagna, 1999)
ML 108 .B55 1999: Music Library, Reference

Oxford Dictionary of Musical Terms (2004)
ML 108 .D576 2005: Music Library, Reference

Selected Musical Terms of Non-Western Cultures: A Notebook-Glossary (Kaufmann, 1990)
ML 108 .K37 1990: Music Library, Reference

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of Musical Instruments

General Instrument Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments. 2nd ed.
ML 102 .I5 N48 2014 (vol. 1-5): Music Library, Reference

Musical Instruments: A Comprehensive Dictionary (Corrected ed., W.W. Norton, 1975)
ML 102 .I5 M37 1975: Music Library, Reference

The Oxford Companion to Musical Instruments (Baines, 1992)
ML 102 .I5 B34 1992: Alkek, 6th floor

Piano: An Encyclopedia, 2nd ed. (Palmieri, 2003)
ML 102 .P5 P5 2003: Music Library, Reference

Real-lexikon der Musikinstrumente (Sachs, 1964)
ML 102 .I5 S2 1964: Alkek, 6th floor

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of Specific Instruments

Encyclopedia of Keyboard Instruments, 3 vols. (Routledge, 2003-6)
Vol. 1: The Piano: An Encyclopedia, 2nd ed. ML 102 .P5 P5 2003: Music Library, Reference
Vol. 2: The Harpsichord and Clavichord: An Encyclopedia (online)
Vol. 3: The Organ: An Encyclopedia (online)

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of Opera and Musical Theater

Bourne, Joyce. A Dictionary of Opera Characters. (Oxford U, 2017)
ML 102 .O6 K46 2010: Music Library, Reference

Gänzl, Kurt. The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre, 2nd ed. (Schirmer Books, 2001)
ML 102 .M88 G3 2001 (vol. 1-3): Alkek, 6th floor

LaRue, C. Steven. International Dictionary of Opera (St. James Press, 1993)
ML 102 .O6 I6 1993: Music Library, Reference

Sadie, Stanley. The New Grove Dictionary of Opera (Macmillan, 1992)
ML 102 .O6 N5 1992 (vol. 1-4): Music Library, Reference
All articles are available and searchable (and some have been revised) in Grove Music Online.

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of Performance Practice

Jackson, Roland. Performance Practice: A Dictionary-Guide for Musicians (Routledge, 2005)
(online)

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of Jazz, Rock, and Popular Music

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of Jazz

Feather, Leonard. The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz (Oxford U, 1999)
(online)

Kernfeld, Barry. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd ed. (2002)
ML 102 .J3 N48 2002 (vols. 1-3): Music Library, Reference
All articles are available and searchable (and some have been revised) in Grove Music Online.

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries of Rock and Popular Music

Caribbean Popular Music: An Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall (Moskowitz, 2006)
ML 102 .P66 M67 2006: Alkek, 6th floor

The Faber Companion to 20th-Century Popular Music, Rev. ed. (Hardy, 2001)
(online)

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 4th ed. (2009)
(online)

Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
(online)

Miscellaneous Music Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

A Dictionary of Music Titles: The Origins of the Names and Titles of 3,500 Musical Compositions (Room, 2000)
ML 102 .T58 R66 2000: Music Library, Reference

The Norton/Grove Concise Encyclopedia of Music, Rev. ed. (Sadie, 1994)
ML 100 .N88 1994: Music Library, Reference

 

Texas State has a branch library devoted to MUSIC! The Schneider Music Library, located in the Music Building, opens its door for all students to explore, ask questions, and check out items—regardless of your major. We encourage you to visit us in person or virtually, anytime!