Library Resources for Voice Students

@ Rickman Library

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQlmXU1zqfc

Need to find information about song cycles, operas, lieder, composers, libretti,

characters, roles, IPA, scores, synopses, recordings, program notes, etc.?

Confused?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpqv0-lfX14

Voice Notebook: Components You Need

• Song Title• Song Words

– English translation --IPA translation• Recording & identifying information• Score of the Work & identifying information• Composer of Work: Full Name & Dates• Librettist: Full Name (if applicable)• Summary of the Song• Summary/Synopsis of the Parent Work (e.g. opera, oratorio,

etc.) (IF applicable)• Summary of the Character (if applicable)

Getting Organized

1. Information about the work's historical context and the circumstances surrounding its composition

2. Description of the work itself3. Some very brief details about the composer

that relate directly to the work

Questions to ask• Why did the composer write this work? • When did he/she write this work? • How did he/she write this work (in a concentration camp, in

prison, as part of a job or commission, under pressure from someone)?

• Have any interesting or historical recordings been made? • Did the work spark any sort of outrage, protest, or get any

other notable response? • What form/musical structure is being used in this piece or

movement? (e.g. sonata, ABA form, etc.)• Is there any terminology or lingo that needs to be explained?

(e.g. definition of passacaglia or scherzo)

Writing Program Notes: Dos and Don’ts

DON’T DOWrite general or vague statements about well-known composers or events

Write specific examples that pertain to the music you are singing

Go on and on about how the piece makes you feel when you sing it

Write about what emotion you think the composer intended the singer to express, and support it with a specific example.

Pull random, un-cited information from the web

Use quality sources to find information and use random googling as a last resort.

Use space-filler, fluffy information

Use specific information that will enlighten and inform

FINDING THE SCORE OF THE SONG

• Look in SWUcat• Look in PASCALCAT

• CPDL.org• IMSLP.org

• http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/scores/

• Worldcat.org• Interlibrary Loan

*Make sure you choose an edition in the correct language!

Finding the English Translation

• The Aria Database – http://www.aria-database.com

• Foreign language dictionaries are in the REF 400s (don’t use online translators—they will lead you astray!)

• Random Googling (but be careful!)

Transcribing it into IPA (international phonetics alphabet)

IPA Manual – REF 783.0014 W154 (in the reference section)

Your diction book

http://ipa.typeit.org/

Composer Dates and Other Information• New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians – Ref 780.3 G919 2001• Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians – Ref 780.922 B177 2001

• The New Grove Dictionary of Opera – Ref 782.103 N43• Wikipedia, Allmusic.com, etc. (CROSS CHECK THEM!)• Websites (Composer’s Personal Websites, Professional Societies,

Naxos.com, www.eb.com)• Composer Biographies

Information about the Poet or Librettist

The Aria Database http://www.aria-database.com

Naxos Education: Opera Synopses and Libretti

http://www.naxos.com/education/brief_history.asp

Index to Poetry in Music REF 782.42 B728

World Poets REF 809.1003 W893

New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians

REF 780.3 G919 2001

Finding the Synopsis• New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians• The Aria Database – http://www.aria-database.com • Naxos Education—Opera Synopses and Libretti

http://www.naxos.com/education/brief_history.asp • Opera Glass – http://opera.stanford.edu/ • The New Penguin Opera Guide – Ref 782.103 N42• Oxford Dictionary of Opera – Ref 782.103 W25• Program Notes/Liner Notes

Character Name and Information• The Aria Database – http://www.aria-database.com • Naxos Education—Opera Synopses and Libretti

http://www.naxos.com/education/brief_history.asp• New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians • Who’s Who in Opera: A Guide to Opera Characters

REF 782.10269 B667

Image courtesy of San Francisco Sentinel

Finding information about an song or aria

Any of the sources on the previous slide MAY have information about your song

MAYBE NOT. So then what?

• Program notes/Liner notes are the BEST source of information

• Your brain!

Information about the Recording• Liner notes of the actual recording• Classical Music Library liner notes

HOW TO FIND A RECORDING• Look in SWUcat/PASCALcat• Look in Classical Music Library• YouTube (Be careful!)

Not there? Look on Worldcat.org and fill out an ILL form

RECORDINGS

A Note About Websites and Online Sources

GOOGLE IS GREAT!

HOWEVERYOU MUST BE CAREFUL WHAT WEBSITES YOU GET INFORMATION FROM!PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHO WROTE THE INFORMATION BEFORE YOU USE

WEBSITES TO OBTAIN SCHOLARLY INFORMATION

An example:

http://www.mozartproject.org/ vs. http://www.mozart.biz/ vs. http://answers.ask.com/Entertainment/Movies/how_did_mozart_die