New Bibliography of Music Anthologies from the Library of Congress

Susan Clermont

Thursday, August 24, 2023

We have received the following from Susan Clermont and Paul Sommerfeld (Music Division, Library of Congress):

Among the various early music imprints and manuscripts held among the Library of Congress Music Division’s rare general collections are 306 music anthologies dating from the late 15th through 17th centuries. These materials represent about 10% of the total number of musical anthologies produced at that time and are sources for some of the greatest musical works of the period.

A new bibliography, titled Anthologies of Musical Works in Print and Manuscript from the 15th-17th Centuries in the Library of Congress Music Division (PDF), presents an inventory of the Music Division’s holdings with tables of contents and annotations for most entries (cataloged in RISM as ClermontA 2023).

An accompanying research guide provides discussions about and highlights from this unique body of materials, emphasizing matters of provenance, cataloging, music publishers, online resources and bibliography, and how the Music Division’s collection historically parallels the total output of anthology sources.

Please contact the Performing Arts librarians using this form with any questions.

Image: Barbara Strozzi, “Quis dabit mihi?” from Sacra corona (Venice, 1656). According to ClermontA 2023, this piece is “one of the earliest appearances of a woman composer’s work in an anthology” (p. 147-148). Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (US-Wc M1490.M185 S2 Case). RISM ID no. 993121844 (RISM Catalog | RISM Online) Available online (public domain).

Category: New publications