Oxford Music Online and the Grove Encyclopedia

Oxford Music Online is an online collection of music dictionaries and encyclopedias covering a range of music topics, including terminology definitions and biographies of artists and composers. This database includes the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

Accessing Oxford and Grove

Access Oxford Music Online with this link, or find it by going to the library home page.

From there, you may:

1. Scroll to the section of the page that says Research Databases
2. Use the drop down to find a database by subject, and select Music
3. Select Oxford Music Online from the list that appears

What is a database?

A periodical database is a tool that allows users to search for scholarly articles published in journals surrounding specific topics.  These articles will be longer and more specific than the reference entries described above.

Below is a list of databases with articles related to music theory, music criticism, and performance:

Daniel's Orchestral Music Online contains the duration, arrangment details, or other information of orchestral works   

*Note: Orchestral Music Online requires a special login name and password, found on the Library login page.

Scroll through the list of databases to find the Orchestral Music Online username and password using the link provided above.

Tips for using the Orchestral Music Database:

• Search by composer -- it's easier than trying to search for "Piano Concerto," "Symphony," or another common name
• Read the "Search Tips and Guidelines" (shown below) offered by the site. They are extremely useful for understanding what you're reading.

(Click image to view full size)

What is "reference"?

Reference sources help you gain background or preliminary information on a topic. In music, this sort of information would include:

• Definitions of score terms (tempo and expression markings)
• Composer or performer information
• Information on periods and movements
• Explanations of music theory

Where can I find reference sources for music?

One helpful source is Oxford Music Online, explained in further detail in the box to the left.

What are journals?

Scholarly journals are publications produced monthly, quarterly, or at other regular intervals. They contain scholarly articles pertaining to a particular field of study, written by experts and are often peer-reviewed before being published. Topics of music journals may include:

• Music criticism
• Reviews of performances or recordings
• Issues in music education
• Music theory

Where can I find music journals?

The box to the left titled "Databases for Music Journals" can help you locate scholarly articles on music.