Research Guides: Music Subject Guide: Locating Music Manuscripts

Locating music manuscripts

In some higher-level research in musicology, you may want/need to find out where the original hand-written scores from centuries ago now locate. Many may be housed in museums or national libraries in Europe. The resources below will tell you where they are housed so that you may either visit the sources in-person (usually by special appointment and letter of support from your university) or check out their archives online if the manuscripts have been digitized.

Online resource

RISM: Répertoire International des Sources Musicales This link opens in a new window
Comprehensively documents the world's musical sources of manuscripts or printed music, works on music theory, and libretti stored in libraries, archives, monasteries, schools and private collections. RISM documents what exists and where it is stored.
Dates covered: 1921 - Current
Concurrent users: 1
Provider: EBSCOhost
Full-text: Citation information only

Print resource

Collected Editions, Historical Series and Sets, and Monuments of Music by George R. Hill; Norris L. Stephens
Call Number: 780 H552C 1997
ISBN: 0914913220
Publication Date: 1997