Companions and handbooks elaborate on a general topic, providing the reader with a deeper understanding of concepts, themes, characters, places, and ideas.
This distinguished series, now in its fourth decade, is published in collaboration with the Bard College Music Festival. Each year, the Festival explores the world of individual composers or other music personalities and sheds light on the intersecting cultural, social, and political spheres in which their lives unfolded. In addition to critical essays, the books also present unfamiliar documents in translation, such as correspondence, memoirs, and contemporary reviews that further illuminate the world surrounding the chosen musical figure. Currently, there are over 30 titles in the series. Among the titles available are the following:
- Aaron Copland and His World (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .C756 A67 2005)
- Beethoven and His World (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .B4 B2812 2000)
- Brahms and His World (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .B8 B65 2009)
- Camille Saint-Saëns and His World (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .S15 C35 2012)
- Edward Elgar and His World (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .E41 E29 2007)
- Mahler and His World (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .M23 M195 2002)
- Richard Wagner and His World (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .W13 R42 2009)
- Schoenberg and His World (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .S283 S36 1999)
- Schumann and His World (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .S4 S323 1994)
- Sergey Prokofiev and His World (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .P865 S559 2008)
"...provide clear and accessible information on composers, instruments or musical topics, written with the student, the performer and the music lover in mind. Each volume provides a carefully structured series of specially-commissioned essays by leading authorities offering comprehensive coverage and indispensable reference material as well as absorbing reading matter" (publisher's description). Currently, there are 69 titles in the series. Among the titles available are the following:
- Cambridge Companion to Blues and Gospel Music (Main Library ARC General Collection MT 146 .C36 2002)
- Cambridge Companion to Brass Instruments (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 933 .C36 1997)
- Cambridge Companion to Conducting (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 458 .C36 2003)
- Cambridge Companion to Electronic Music (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 1380 .C36 2007)
- Cambridge Companion to Grand Opera (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 1700 .C16 2003)
- Cambridge Companion to Hip-Hop (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 3531 .C356 2015)
- Cambridge Companion to Medieval Music (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 172 .C32 2011)
- Cambridge Companion to Opera Studies (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 1700 .C1666 2012)
- Cambridge Companion to Percussion (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 1030 .C26 2016)
- Cambridge Companion to Pop and Rock (Main Library ML 3470 .C36 2001)
- Cambridge Companion to Singing (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 1460 .C28 2000)
- Cambridge Companion to the Cello (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 910 .C36 1999)
- Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 945 .C36 1995)
- Cambridge Companion to the Guitar (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 1015 .G9 C23 2003)
- Cambridge Companion to the Musical, 3d ed. (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 2054 .C35 2017)
- Cambridge Companion to the Orchestra (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 1200 .C36 2003)
- Cambridge Companion to the Piano (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 650 .C3 1998)
- Cambridge Companion to the String Quartet (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 1160 .C36 2003)
- Cambridge Companion to the Violin (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 800 .C35 1992)
"The aim of
Music in Context is to illuminate specific musical works, repertoires or practices in historical, critical, socio-economic or other contexts; or to illuminate particular cultural and critical contexts in which music operates through the study of specific musical works, repertoires or practices" (publisher's description). There currently are approximately 20 titles in the series, all of which are available online. Among the titles available are the following:
"...an innovative introduction to world music that focuses on how people make music meaningful and useful in their lives" (publisher's description). Currently, there are 15 titles in the series. Among the titles available are the following:
- Music in America (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 200 .R48 2005)
- Music in Bulgaria (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 252 .R53 2004)
- Music in China (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 336 .L28 2008)
- Music in East Africa (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 350 .B37 2004)
- Music in Egypt (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 355 .E3 M37 2007)
- Music in Ireland (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 3654 .H35 2004)
- Music in Japan (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 340 .W22 2005)
- Music in Mexico (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 3485 .M34 2013)
- Music in the Hispanic Caribbean (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 3565 .M66 2010)
- Music in West Africa (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 350 .S76 2005)
A series dedicated to providing readers with a deeper understanding of key musical genres and the work of major artists and composers. Aimed at non-specialists, volumes explain in clear and accessible language how to listen to works from particular artists, composers, and genres. Currently, there are over 20 titles in the series. Among the titles available are the following:
- Experiencing Berlioz: A Listener's Companion (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .B5 O54 2018)
- Experiencing Big Band Jazz: A Listener's Companion (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 3518 .S84 2017)
- Experiencing Broadway Music: A Listener's Companion (Main Library ARC General Collection MT 146 .C36 2002)
- Experiencing Chopin: A Listener's Companion (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .C54 G4 2018)
- Experiencing Debussy: A Listener's Companion (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .D28 2019)
- Experiencing Film Music: A Listener's Companion (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 2075 .L32 2017)
- Experiencing Leonard Bernstein: A Listener's Companion (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .B566 L33 2015)
- Experiencing Stravinsky: A Listener's Companion (Main Library ARC General Collection ML 410 .S932 M26 2013)
- Experiencing the Violin Concerto: A Listener's Companion (Downtown Library General Collection ML 1263 .S53 2016)