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Category: New Acquisitions

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Beethoven, Brahms, and Schumann — New Music Titles

Posted by: Amanda Smith

Over the past month, the Music Section has added more than 45 new braille, audio, and large-print music titles by roughly twenty-five different composers to its collection. Together, just three composers, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, and Robert Schumann, wrote compositions that comprise nearly a quarter of the total amount of those additions. I thought it a good …

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Music for the Less Common Instrument

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 …

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Popular Culture, Jazz, and More: New Braille Music Acquisitions Available on BARD

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;” …

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Musical Mainstream: NLS Music Magazine

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 …

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Music History: 101

Posted by: Amanda Smith

Recently, we mentioned the Music Section’s acquisition of the sixth edition, Norton Anthology of Western Music, Vol. 3, Twentieth Century. This time of year also marks the beginning of the college spring semester, and we have seen a rise in the average amount of our music history related inquiries. Music history has been on the “brain” of …

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Mahalia Jackson, Lead Belly, Paul Robeson, and Jazz: Our Newest Acquisitions

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 …