VanderCook College of Music
Finding Music
Finding Music in the Library Catalog
Searching Classical Music / Music for Band
Author (Composer) Browse
Do an Author Browse on the composer’s last name, for example, “Beethoven.” Scroll down the list to find the piece. Pieces will be listed alphabetically after the composer’s name.
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. Die Ruinen von Athen.
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. Equali, trombones (4).
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. Fidelio.
Also try the entry under the composer’s name that has no work listed after it. This will bring you up a list of miscellaneous pieces.
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827.
Also try the entry under “works,” which will contain a collection of the composer’s works. Your piece might be located here.
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. Works.
If the piece has a generic title such as “Symphony no. 1” or “Horn Sonata in F,” search by the form of the piece.
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. Sonatas, horn, piano, op. 17, F major
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. Symphonies, no. 1, op. 21, C major
Title Browse
If you don’t know who composed the piece, do a Title Browse, but remember to search under the Uniform Title.
The Uniform Title is the title used by librarians to bring all the various spellings and languages of the same piece together under one title. For example, if you are looking for Berlioz’s work called Fantastic Symphony you will find it under the uniform title Symphonie Fantastique. One place to look is the book “Popular Titles and Subtitles of Musical Compositions” (REF ML113 .B47P6 1962). Another place to find the Uniform Title is the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Check the works list for you composer.
Searching Songs
Keyword Search
Do a Keyword Search using unique words from the song title, for ex. “foret septembre” to find the song “Dans la foret de septembre.”
Author Browse
Do an Author Browse and scroll down to the entry under “songs”
Faure, Gabriel, 1845-1924. Songs.
Keyword Searching
Keyword searching is most successful when the piece you are looking for has a unique word in the title, such as “daisies” or “fantoches.” You can also do a General Keyword search on an opus number. For example, type “76” to find Haydn String Quartet op. 76.
Finding the Item on the Shelf
After you find your item or list of items, click View Record to see bibliographic details.
At the bottom of the record you can find the call number, shelving location, and status.
If an item is checked out, you can click on Request Copy to have the item set aside for you when it is returned.
Your Library Account
On Horizon’s main entry screen, click on the button near the top of the page labeled Patron Information.
Enter your Borrower ID (same as your student ID or SS#) to view your library account.
You can view items you have checked out, as well as any outstanding fines or blocks.