Music Research Guide

The most comprehensive audio file collection of classical music available online including classical music, jazz, world, folk, and Chinese music.

Use your NEIU NetID and password to access these from anywhere.

The library has a sizeable music CD collection.  DVDs (e.g., operas, master classes, feature films) will also be found in this area located on the third floor of the library.  Use the catalog to search for specific titles or come browse the collections.

Many music titles are comprised of generic terms such as sonata, trio, concerto, etc.  Those terms vary country to country (e.g., Sonata vs. Sonate or Trio sonata vs. Sonata a tre).  To complicate matters even further, distinctive titles usually reflect the language of the composer (e.g., Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune vs. Prelude to the afternoon of a Fawn)

Here are some tips for helping you use keyword searching effectively in a library catalog when looking for sound recordings:

1. If the title consists of a generic term, search using the English form (sonata vs, sonate)
2. If the title is distinctive, search it in it's original language if known (Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune vs. Prelude to the afternoon of a fawn).  If the title is too long, choose words in the title that are the most unique
3. Always include the composer's last name
4. If the piece has an opus number or thematic catalog number (e.g., BWV numbers for Bach), include that number as a keyword (e.g., Bach concerto BWV 1062).  If you do not know the opus/thematic catalog number, go to Oxford Music Online and find it in the composer's list of complete works.  You can also search Wikipedia by composer for opus/thematic catalog numbers found in the list of composer's works.
5. If you are looking for a particular label  (e.g., Decca) or performer (e.g., Bolsom), add that term to your search

To locate physical recordings in the library catalog, use the search box on the NEIU Libraries Homepage