Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians - Ref ML 105 .B16 2001
Offers biographies of composers and performers with bibliographies of works by and about them. This reference is good for a quick overview of a musician and his or her impact.
Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre - Ref ML 102 .M88 G3 2001
Brief articles on people, productions, composers, etc.
Encyclopedia of the Blues - Ref ML 102 .B6 E53 2006
Offers short, informative entries on blues singers, significant places, musical styles, instruments, aspects of the music business, specific labels, and important songs.
Garland Encyclopedia of World Music - Ref ML 100 .G16 1998 (10 vols)
Covers the music of peoples of the world in regional volumes that offer regional profiles, the social context of music, and in-depth information on the musical traditions of specific nations and ethnic groups. The work includes musical examples in accompanying CDs.
The online counterpart to the New Grove Dictionary of Music, this reference source contains articles on composers, performers, styles, genres, world music, instruments, and much more. This title is available through Oxford Music Online and can be cross-searched with The Oxford Dictionary of Music and The Oxford Companion to Music. The print version is also available in the reference collection. Note: This resource is limited to one user at a time.
New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians - Ref ML 100 .N48 2001
The most definitive source on music and music history. The articles in these volumes are carefully researched and documented and provide information on national music traditions, musical forms, composers and musicians, instruments, and more. There are several more specialized Grove encyclopedias--the New Grove Dictionary of American Music (Ref ML 101 .U6 N48 1986), the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (Ref ML 102 .J3 N48 2002), the New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments (Ref ML 102 .I5 N48 1984), and the New Grove Dictionary of Opera (Ref ML 102 .O6 .N58 1997). This encyclopedia is also available through the Web as Grove Music Online.