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Posted by: Katie Rodda
When you think of braille, what first comes into your mind? A series of raised dots, representing printed words? Someone reading a book using only the sense of touch? How about a libretto for Philip Glass’s opera Satyagraha in Sanskrit? No? Well I’m here to tell you that it exists and that the NLS Music …
Posted in: Audio, Braille, Braille libretto, Libretto, Music History and Appreciation
Posted by: Amanda Smith
This year, Thanksgiving Day falls on November 27th, which also happens to be the birthday of legendary guitar player, James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix. Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942, and influenced the world with his lengthy solos and stylistic touch to the electric guitar during the late 60’s. In the spring of 2006, Hendrix’s album, Are …
Posted in: Audio, Blind Musicians, Blues, Braille Music, Music History and Appreciation
Posted by: Katie Rodda
Today we celebrate the 179th birthday of Camille Saint-Saëns, a famous French composer, most well-known for his works The Carnival of the Animals, Danse macabre, Samson and Delilah, and a number of other pieces. Saint-Saëns began his musical studies at the incredible age of three, while he was living with his mother and aunt in …
Posted in: Audio, Braille, Braille libretto, Braille Music, Instrumental Music, Libretto, Metropolitan Opera, Music History and Appreciation, Piano
Posted by: Mary Dell Jenkins
As we add titles to our collection from the Smithsonian Collection, we are eagerly learning more about different music genres and their development, particularly of American Folk Music. When I was told I would have “other duties as assigned” there was no indication that those duties would be so enjoyable. I grew up listening to …
Posted in: Audio, Banjo, Bluegrass, Folk Music, Guitar instruction, Music Instruction, NLS Music Section, Popular Music
Posted by: Amanda Smith
The NLS Music Section recently acquired audio materials produced by Smithsonian Folkways. I would like to introduce and expand upon four new audio titles that are now available to our patrons. We are excited about these titles because we have added a new braille element to some of our audio. Read more about our new Smithsonian Folkways acquisitions — and our process …
Posted in: Audio, Folk Music, Jazz, Music History and Appreciation, New Acquisitions, Popular Music, Recordings
Posted by: Amanda Smith
I grew up in the foothills of North Carolina in an area where music styles and lyrics known to the Southern Appalachians trickled down and nestled in my bones. In writing about the music culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, what would a discussion of NC mountain music be without the mention of legendary guitar …
Posted in: Audio, Blind Musicians, Folk Music, Guitar instruction, Music Instruction, Uncategorized
Posted by: Katie Rodda
Although the majority of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) Music Section’s collection deals with classical music, we also have a wide array of materials dedicated to the great American art form–jazz. In this blog post, I will detail some of the special format materials in our collection that jazz …
Posted in: Audio, Braille Music, Instrumental Music, Jazz, Large Print, Music Instruction, NLS Music Section, Piano, Uncategorized
Posted by: Amanda Smith
Summer and jazz seem to go hand-in-hand. I am noticing weekend jazz festivals and evenings of “jazz in the park” all over the D.C. area. I am sure some of you have enjoyed some of these events where you live. Now I am thinking about jazz! This thought lends itself to a discussion of related genres like …
Posted in: Audio, Blind Musicians, Jazz, Music History and Appreciation, Popular Music, Rhythm & Blues (R&B), Soul Music