Start here for biographical information, plot synopses, definitions of music terms, and other music reference information.
Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians (9th ed.)
Baker's celebrates its 100th anniversary with this six-volume format. The 9th edition covers all musical genres, with new entries written by a distinguished group of area specialists as well as the original articles by Nicolas Slonimsky. This work continues the tradition of offering the most comprehensive and authoritative information on the musicians, along with interesting and insightful evaluations of their contributions to the musical world.
Encyclopedia of African American Music (e-book)
"Showcases all facets of African American music, including folk, religious, concert, and popular styles of today. Illuminates the profound role that African American music has played in American cultural history."
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.)
Covers popular music and musicians from 1900 to the present. Includes a five-star rating system of albums. Volume eight includes bibliographies arranged by artists and subject, a list of selected fanzines, a song title index of every song mentioned in the set, a general index for the set, and a quick reference guide to entry titles.
Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre
Covers plays and people "in the mainstream of Western musical theatre." Defines musical theatre as "any original piece with a continuous libretto, lyrics and music" (Preface). Geographical concentration is on Australia, Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Hungary, and the United States. Covers musical theatre from the eighteenth century to the present. Includes color plates and black and white illustrations. Arranged alphabetically with no index.
The Harvard Dictionary of Music (4th ed.)
Standard source for definitions in music. Focuses on Western art music with "coverage of non-Western music, popular music, and musical instruments of all cultures" (Preface). Includes entries on musical genres, periods, and technical terms. Contains no biographical information. Includes black and white illustrations.
Women and Music in America since 1900: An Encyclopedia
Describes "the role of women in all forms of music in the twentieth century in the United States; it includes entries on gender issues, education genres, honors and awards, organizations, individuals, and professions" (Preface). References for further reading are included at the end of each entry. Volume one includes a chronology and a guide to entries arranged by category. Volume two includes a comprehensive bibliography and an index for the the entire set.
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