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Posted by: Amanda Smith
Ludwig van Beethoven was a prolific and music-history-altering composer. Today we celebrate his life on the anniversary of his baptism, which is the closest date we have to knowing his actual birth day. I can remember, as a young pianist, that Beethoven’s Für Elise was the first “real” piece I learned to play outside of …
Posted in: Music History and Appreciation, Piano
Posted by: Amanda Smith
The Music Section was on the move this past week, when I flew across the country to manage an exhibit booth at the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. I expected the city to be abuzz with baseball themed billboards and memorabilia because, the week before my trip, the Kansas …
Posted in: NLS Music Section, Outreach, Talking Books
Posted by: Amanda Smith
Chicago is on my mind. How is it that some places, more than others, capture your heart? Like many who dream of the mesmerizing hum of New York City, I am enamored with Chicago. In Chicago, railcars rumble just feet above your head on open air tracks; their squealing brakes are a reminder of earlier century steam …
Posted in: Blues, Jazz, Music History and Appreciation, Popular Music Lead Sheets
Posted by: Amanda Smith
Recently, I discovered that September is the birth month of Blind Lemon Jefferson, a tried and true guitar player and singer who is celebrated in the American folk-blues world. It’s been awhile since I’ve celebrated a musician’s birthday on this blog, by writing a post about their career and lasting accomplishments. I can’t resist the …
Posted in: Blind Musicians, Blues, Music History and Appreciation, Popular Music
Posted by: Amanda Smith
As part of a continuing series introducing blog readers to facets of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), I recently spoke with NLS Senior Staff Engineer and music enthusiast, Lloyd Rasmussen. By interviewing Lloyd, I hoped to answer two questions: 1) What does an engineer do in a library? 2) …
Posted in: Braille Music, Braille Technology, Interviews
Posted by: Amanda Smith
The Music Section’s collection of music scores and audio materials is plentiful. Piano music, yes! Guitar lead sheets, we’ve got them! Vocal librettos, songs, etc. But, what about music written for lesser known instruments? Do you play the penny whistle or know how to yodel? The music collection also contains titles for instrument or voice …
Posted in: Audio, Braille Music, Instrumental Music, Music Instruction, New Acquisitions
Posted by: Amanda Smith
In my last blog post highlighting the Music Section‘s newest braille music acquisitions I mentioned the Glee Songbook: Easy Piano, and also “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” by Cole Porter. These titles easily bring to mind the subject of Broadway musicals. For quite some time the Music Section has been offering a selection of …
Posted in: Braille Music, Broadway, Popular Music
Posted by: Amanda Smith
This past month the Music Section made available for download on BARD three contemporary, popular, and jazz titles. First, a braille transcription of Glee Songbook: Easy Piano. This book contains a collection of songs from the popular TV show Glee‘s first season arranged for easy–or beginner–piano. Examples include: Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon, “Can’t Fight This Feeling;” …
Posted in: Braille and Audio Reading Download BARD, Braille Music, Jazz, New Acquisitions, Popular Music
Posted by: Amanda Smith
Musical Mainstream is one of two magazines produced by the NLS music section for our patrons. Music librarians, including myself, compile and create these Magazines. Musical Mainstream is a magazine containing current articles and audio music reviews reprinted from popular music magazines and journals. Its subject matter is classical music, and it includes information about …
Posted in: Magazines, New Acquisitions, NLS Music Section