General Information:
Please consult the Music and Dance Research Guide for more complete information on music/dance resources.
General Note:
Begin your research early - you will have to order some books/articles through Interlibrary Loan.
Composers - Select one to study:
Medieval: Hildegard of Bingen; Garsenda, Countess of Provence; Beatritz, Comtessa de Dia
Renaissance: Caterina Assandra; Claudia Sessa; Anne Boleyn
Baroque: Francesca Caccini; Leonara Duarte, Barbara Strozzi; Antonia Bembo; Elisabet Jacquet de La Guerre; Josina Anna Petronella van Boetzelaer (née van Aerssen); Mademoiselle Guédon de Presles
Classical: Harriet (or Harriett) Abrams; Jane Mary Guest; Marianne (Anna Katharina) von Martínez; Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart; Anna Magdalena Bach
Use the following resources:
Oxford Music Online
Google
Library Catalog - do a search on your composer
Note: be careful when searching google. See: Act Up Evaluation Method
Use the Library Catalog to find books.
Select the tab, "Books, Media, and More."
Sample searches (I used the composer Harriett Abrams):
women and 18th century and music
women and composers and 18th century
England and social and 18th century
Please set up an appointment with me if you need help finding information on your composer! I will meet with you in person or via zoom.
Composition titles:
Biographical info might contain a listing of compositions. Also, when looking for scores and recordings.
Scores:
IMSLP | International Music Score Library Project - I suggest this resource as the composers are less well known and IMSLP is pretty huge in content.
Recordings:
Naxos Music Library, YouTube - I had the best luck with these two resources due to the lesser known composers you are working with.
Use the following resources:
Music Index
JSTOR
ProjectMUSE
Academic Search Complete
Sample search (my composer was Harriett Abrams):
women and 18th century and England and music
Tips:
All you need is one good article. Find keywords and subject headings from that article (look at the abstract). Use articles found in the bibliography.
Do not delay your research as you will need to order articles via Interlibrary Loan, which takes time!
