Category: Maxwell Music Library

Classical Music in America: A History of Its Rise and Fall by Joseph HorowitzML200 .H797 2005 This controversial tome peaked my interest after hearing it mentioned at conferences, in journal articles, and even the Chronicle of Higher Education. A few quotations will give you the gist of the book: “Compared to classical music in its…

Shape note singing, labeled as such because the musical notation uses note heads in 4 distinct shapes to aid in sight-reading, has been an American tradition dating back to 1801 (with a history extending back through the Renaissance). In this region, one can still attend “singings,” where groups will sing from the Sacred Harp or…

This past weekend I attended the Southeast Chapter of the Music Library Association’s annual meeting in Columbus, GA. We had the welcome reception in the music library in the Schwob School of Music, part of Columbus State University. A lot of music librarians in the southeast have been in their jobs for over 20 years,…

In a search for Scottish themed music, I came across The Celtic Album with the Boston Pops Orchestra, directed by Keith Lockhart. Included are several pieces written for orchestra with Scottish and Irish themes, and several arrangments featuring Celtic musicians. This can be found in the music library – MCD1246. We have several recordings of…

I was watching a rerun of Gilmore Girls, where Emily (the grandmother) remarks to her date that the Mahler Seventh Symphony will always move her. Not having that work in my immediate recall, I had to run to the music library and listen to it. This version is the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Seiji…

During the start of a school year, I often use music to remedy stress. My favorite composer to bring emotional release is Chopin, and as a pianist, his nocturnes have always allowed me to reflect and relax. To be honest, this Claudio Arrau CD is merely the first one I pulled from the shelf, although…

As you may or may not know, this year is the Year of the Environment at Furman University. I have been compiling a list of music about the earth (forthcoming) and in looking for a recording of Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps) came across this compact disc collection, with Igor Stravinsky conducting his…

If you have ever needed to find out if a score was available in print, for purchase or to request it from the library or through interlibrary loan, you know how difficult it can be. Furman faculty, students, and staff now have acces to Music-in-Print Online. This online resource includes everything found in the Music-in-Print…

In the June 2006 issue of Percussive Notes, the Rosauro Marimba Concerto is featured for its significant number of performances in the last 20 years. The article goes on to talk about its many performances, to interview the composer, and to formally analyze the piece. We happen to have two recordings of the piece in…

Roy Harris (1898-1979), an American composer, is known for his contributions to the American symphony. Listen for his one-movement symphony, the use of folktunes, and expressive writing. In the music library, you can find the following CDs: Roy Harris – Symphony No. 3 New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein (MCD0405) Portraits of Freedom: Music of Aaron…