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Category: Instrumental Music

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A Blast of Brass!

Posted by: Katie Rodda

Last year we discussed method books available from the NLS Music collection for most band and orchestra instruments. We’ve even done some posts on specific instruments, like saxophone and violin. Today, though, I decided to focus a post specifically on brass instruments. “Why brass?” you ask. Well for one, brass instruments are near and dear …

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New BARD Additions: June 2018

Posted by: Juliette Appold

Welcome to the newest additions of music materials on BARD. Audio Materials Amazing Grace. For late beginner. Bill Brown teaches how to play the late beginner version of “Amazing Grace” on the piano without the use of music notation. (DBM03901) Chattanooga Choo Choo. Bill Brown teaches how to play the Glenn Miller Orchestra’s 1940s classic …

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Nashville Sound: Hargus “Pig” Robbins

Posted by: Lindsay Conway

Hargus “Pig” Robbins might be the most famous piano player you’ve never heard of, though you’ve likely heard his work. The National Conference of Librarians Serving Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals will begin in a matter of days in Nashville, Tennessee, so today I want to tell you about a musician who is blind and …

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American Composers and Musicians from A to Z: E (Part 1 – Ellington, Duke)

Posted by: Katie Rodda

Continuing our series of American composers from A to Z, we come to the letter E. Personally, I can think of no better example than Duke Ellington. I consider him to be one of the first great quintessential “American” composers of his time, who wrote music in a true American idiom, rather than copying Western …

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Carnegie Hall of the South: Nashville’s Musical Legacy, Part 2

Posted by: Lindsay Conway

This is the second half of a two-part post on Nashville’s musical history and related books in the NLS Music Collection. Read the first part here: Athens of the South: Nashville’s Musical Legacy, Part 1. Nashville’s most famous music venue, the Ryman Auditorium, was completed in 1892 and was originally a church called the Union …

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Athens of the South: Nashville’s Musical Legacy, Part 1

Posted by: Lindsay Conway

Here in the Music Section of the National Library Service we are counting down the days until the National Conference of Librarians Serving Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals begins next month in Music City, Nashville, Tennessee! As I mentioned in my last article, I’ve been taking the opportunity to learn about the musical history of …

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American Composers and Musicians from A to Z: D (Part 2 – Davis, “Blind” John and Dranes, Arizona)

Posted by: Katie Rodda

Blind John Davis Blind John Davis was born in Mississippi in 1913, but moved to Chicago with his family at a young age.  He lost his sight shortly thereafter at age 9. He began to learn the piano as a teen, and later became a regular session musician for famous blues record producer Lester Melrose …

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New BARD additions: December- January

Posted by: Katie Rodda

The Music Section has been very busy over the past month adding new and newly digitized music materials to BARD. From Mozart, to bluegrass, to method books for alto and bass flute, there is a little bit of something here for everyone! If you have any questions on how to use BARD or to obtain …

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What’s New on BARD

Posted by: Juliette Appold

Let’s look at some new additions to BARD. Next to our most recent music appreciation catalog, we have added flavors from Norway (Grieg), Italy (Pergolesi), Poland (Chopin), France (Ravel and Debussy), and the US (Carole King). There’s more to come, so please keep checking by exploring the link Music Collection and then clicking on Recently …