Research Guides: Music: Books & scores

Creative Arts Librarian

Contact:

lzeidenb
Farber Library, Floor 2

781-736-4697

Subjects:Art, Architecture and Photography, Classics, Film Studies, Music, Theater and Dance

Find books and scores

The OneSearch Library Catalog is your first option for locating books, scores, microfilms, journal titles (but NOT articles), sound recordings, and videos owned by Brandeis, as well as Web-based resources that are accessible via OneSearch (electronic books and journals, databases, and substantive Web sites selected by Brandeis librarians).

To locate music items, limit your results by Resource Type: Scores, CDs, Cassettes, LPs, Streaming Media, DVDs, VHS etc..

Advanced Library Catalog Search
Best to use when you already know what you want--working from citations or a bibliography, or other sources with precise information.

Online scores and sheet music

Digital Music Collections
Outstanding, up-to-date list of links to free digital music collections--maintained by the Loeb Music Library at Harvard University.
Petrucci Music Library (IMSLP)
Canadian Web site sponsored by the International Music Score Library Project and dedicated to creating "a virtual library containing all public domain music scores, as well as scores from composers who are willing to share their music with the world without charge."
Sheet Music Consortium: Sheet Music on the Web
A group of libraries building an open, cross-searchable collection of digitized sheet music, including Duke University, Indiana University, Johns Hopkins University, Library of Congress, Maine Music Box, National Library of Australia, and UCLA, among many others.
Sheet Music Sites and Projects
Comprehensive list of links to online sheet music collections, maintained by Duke University Libraries.

Online scores database

Music Online: Classical Scores Library
Series of four volumes containing scores of contemporary and canonical works. The collections encompass all major classical musical genres and time periods from the Middle Ages to the 21st century. Available through at least July 1, 2021, as part of ProQuest's Evidence-Based Acquisition Program.

Library of Congress classifications

Class M Schedule (M, ML, MT)
Library of Congress classification schedule for music.

Browse the virtual shelves of the library; search OneSearch by call no. (choose "call number" from the pull-down menu), or browse by call number (choose "By Library of Congress call numbers" from the drop-down menu).