Music Research Guide: Music History

Journal articles are housed in databases to which the library subscribes. The search path to finding journal articles related to music is:

•  www.liberty.edu/library  
• Browse All Databases 
• In the box next to All Subjects, scroll down and choose Music

The Jerry Falwell Library subscribes to a number of databases which support the analysis of musical compositions.

Suggested databases:
 Journal Articles (Music Specific)

Music Index
Music Periodicals Database
Performing Arts Periodicals Database
Recent Researches in Music Online (RRIMO)
RILM Abstract of Music Literature  

Reference Materials

Videos / Audio

Medici TV 
Music & Performing Arts
Music Online: Opera in Video  
Naxos Music Library 
Naxos Video Library 

Journal Articles (All Subjects including Music) 

EBSCO
JSTOR
ProQuest Central
Project MUSE: Humanities and Social Sciences

The search path for finding books is: 
     www.liberty.edu/library 

1. Above the search box click on Books. The Print, E-book, and Audiobook boxes are automatically chosen. 

2. If you want only E-books, unclick the boxes for Print and Audiobook.
3. If you want only physical books, unclick the boxes for E-books and Audiobooks.
4. Enter you search term(s).

In looking for Books, remember that there are not always entire books dedicated to a single work. Expand your search by looking for a book about the composer or the Type of Music or the Time Period of Music you are researching. Then use the table of contents or index in the book to see if your piece is included.

You can also start with a broad simple search: 

• The composer's name
• The name of a piece
• Additional terms to narrow the results 

Music Reference Book Titles

These titles are housed in the Book Tower on the 3rd floor:
      Baker's Biographic Dictionary of Music - ML105.B16 2001
      New Grove Dictionary of Music - ML101.U6 N48
      Harvard Dictionary of Music - ML100.A64 2006

Specific search terms are assigned to materials in databases and library catalogs. Some databases search the entire body of an article to look for the terms you choose, and some search only the subject terms assigned. Following are some common subject terms you may find useful in your research. Many of these can be used in combination with each other.

Search by time period
            Music – History and criticism – 17^th century
            18^th century music – History and criticism
Search by composer
            Scarlatti, Domenico – History and criticism
            Haydn, Joseph, 1732-1809 – Biography
Search by title of musical piece
Search by type or time period of music         
            Baroque music
            Gregorian chants
            Renaissance music
            Organ music
            Church music
            Choral music

Search by country
              Italy – 18^th century – Music
General sub headings – use in combination with other terms
            Composition (Musical composition)
            Analysis
            Criticism or critique
            History and criticism

 Add / Reorder