Finding Music Materials in the Library Catalog

Finding Music Materials in the Library Catalog

This guide contains instructions for finding music materials in the library catalog. If you need additional assistance, please contact the Music Library staff: phone 252-328-6250, email us at musiclib@ecu.edu, or visit the Music Library in person (Music Library hours).

Music Scores and Recordings - keyword searching
Music Scores and Recordings - alphabetical searching
Materials About a Composer/Performer or Topic/Subject
School of Music Recordings

Music Scores and Recordings - keyword searching

1. Go to the library catalog at http://catalog.lib.ecu.edu, or link from the Music Library homepage www.ecu.edu/lib/music

2. Select the Advanced search from the purple bar near the top of the screen.

3. In the Title Keyword box, type the name of the piece you are looking for. If you know the opus or work number, this will often work best, especially for works with generic titles like "symphony" or "sonata." For works with more distinctive titles, use the title in the original language, and omit initial articles a, an, the, and their foreign language equivalents (i.e. Zauberflöte, not The Magic Flute or Die Zauberflöte).

Caution: Many titles which seem distinctive are not the composer’s original title. Example: Beethoven’s "Moonlight" sonata is actually Sonata no. 14, op. 27, no. 2 in C# minor. Use the opus/work number, not the popular title, in your search.

Tip: If the piece you want is part of a larger work (opera, song cycle, etc.) try searching both for the larger work and the smaller section.

4. In the Author Keyword box, type the name of the composer. "Author" simply means any responsible person or group and can include composers, performers (including ensembles), arrangers, editors, etc. If you want a recording by a particular performer, type their name instead of or in addition to the composer’s name.

5. Under Formats, select the limit for:

Recordings (sound or video): Audiovisual materials (All), or a specific media type
Scores (printed sheet music): Music Scores

6. Click the red arrow button to conduct your search!

Example of catalog search for score of Beethoven's opera "Fidelio":

Image of keyword searching for music in library catalog

Music Scores and Recordings - alphabetical searching

Alphabetical searching is an alternate method to keyword searching. It is often helpful when you want an ordered list of all the materials the Music Library owns by a given composer, or on a certain subject. It is also useful when you suspect the Music Library owns a work but you are unsure of the correct title and/or if keyword searching is unsuccessful.

1. Go to the library catalog at http://catalog.lib.ecu.edu, or link from the Music Library homepage www.ecu.edu/lib/music

2. Select the Basic search from the purple bar near the top of the screen.

3. Select Author (Last name, first name) from the drop down menu. Type the composer’s Last name, First Name (example: Beethoven, Ludwig van) in the search box and click the red arrow button.

4. The catalog will return a list of all the composer’s works owned by the Music Library in alphabetical order (example: all Beethoven’s works.) Move through this list by using Prev 15 Author and Next 15 Author.

5. For prolific composers, it may be helpful to "jump" in the list. Copy the composer’s entire name as found in the library catalog (this often includes birth/death dates and/or middle names - example: Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827) into the search box at the top of the page. Then type the first few letters of the name of the piece you want. Example: to jump to Beethoven’s symphonies, the search box will read: Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827 symp.

Materials About a Composer/Performer or Topic/Subject

If you want to find materials about someone, they will be the subject of the work, not the author.

Tip: Besides the library catalog, you can also find material about people and topics in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (also available in print at Ref ML100.N48 2001) or by searching the Journal Articles links from the Music Library homepage.

Tip: If you already know the exact title of a book and want to see if the library has a copy, go to the library catalog basic search, select "Title Alphabetical" and type in the title, omitting the articles a, an, the. This method only works for books. It does not work consistently for scores/recordings!

1. Go to the library catalog at http://catalog.lib.ecu.edu, or link from the Music Library homepage www.ecu.edu/lib/music

2. Select the Advanced search from the purple bar near the top of the screen.

3. In the Subject keyword box, type the name of the person or topic. Example: to find books about Beethoven, type his name in the subject keyword box.

Tip: for famous composers/topics, you may get many results. If you are looking for information on a specific work or genre, narrow your search by adding additional words describing that aspect. Example: "symphonies" or "Fidelio."

4. Under Formats, select the appropriate limit (usually books).

Alternate subject method to return an alphabetical list (alphabetical searching)

1. Go to the library catalog at http://catalog.lib.ecu.edu , or link from the Music Library homepage www.ecu.edu/lib/music

2. Select the Basic search from the purple bar near the top of the screen.

3. Select Subject Alphabetical from the drop down menu. Type the composer’s Last name, First Name (example: Beethoven, Ludwig van), or the topic in the search box and click the red arrow button.

4. The catalog will return a list of materials pertaining to that composer or other topic owned by the Music Library in alphabetical order (example: all materials about Beethoven). Move through this list by using Prev 15 Subject and Next 15 Subject.

School of Music Recordings

1. The Music Library collects recordings of faculty and guest recitals and ensemble concerts.

2. Go to the library catalog at http://catalog.lib.ecu.edu, or link from the Music Library homepage www.ecu.edu/lib/music

3. Select the Advanced search from the purple bar near the top of the screen.

4. In Author Keyword, type: East Carolina University School of Music.

5. If you know the date, type the date in Title Keyword. Write the month and year out in full: i.e. January 15, 2007. If you don’t know the exact date, you can just enter the month and year, i.e. January 2007.

6. If you know the performer or ensemble, type them into Author Keyword, i.e. Wacker, Jonathan or Concert Choir. (Searching by performer/ensemble may not work for very recent recordings).

7. Under Formats, select the limit for Sound Recordings.

8. Click the red arrow button to search.

Guide created by Nara L. Newcomer, 2007.