Music History

When researching music history, try finding information on different aspects of your topic. For example, encyclopedias and dictionaries are great for finding the following information:

• Biographical information
• Dates
• Timelines
• Facts about a person or genre of music
• Brief history

After you find some background information, use those concepts to find in-depth sources, such as books and articles.

For example, in scholarly articles, you may find:

• Analyses of pieces of music
• An in-depth look at a particular composer or musician
• How a specific piece of music fits within the time period it was created

Using a variety of types of resources will help you find the information you need.

The words you use to search make a difference when searching in library databases. Use these tips to help you find sources more quickly:

• Search for a composer's name combined with a specific piece of music or theme. For example:
  • Beethoven AND early life
  • Beethoven AND piano concertos
  • Beethoven AND hearing loss
• Search for a piece of music combined with a theme or historical importance. For example:
  • Gershwin AND Rhapsody in Blue AND jazz
• Getting too many results? Add another search term.
• Not finding enough? Remove or change your search terms.

If you're still stuck, try using the tutorial below: 

Use these databases to find background information on your composer, piece of music, type of music, etc.

Use these databases to dig deeper and find peer-reviewed articles on your topic. You'll find analyses and other research.