Guide to Piano Resources

This is an introductory guide to locating information and materials related to the piano. It is not a complete bibliography, but rather indicates key resources and types of materials that one may find useful when seeking information in this area. All listed items are available in the University of Michigan Music Library.


Browsing Areas

The following are selected call number ranges where piano materials may be found. For more specific call numbers, consult Mirlyn.

M 20-22	collections of solo piano music
M 23	piano sonatas
M 25	general piano works
M 27	variations
M 28-32	dances
M 32.8-39	arrangements and transcriptions
M 200-212	piano duets
M 214-215	two-piano works
M 1010	solo piano with orchestra (full scores)
M 1011	solo piano with orchestra (piano reductions)
M 1110	solo piano with string orchestra (full scores)
M 1111	solo piano with string orchestra (piano reductions)
ML 397	collective biographies of pianists
ML 417	individual biographies of pianists
ML 650-697	history of the piano, piano construction
ML 700-747	piano music and piano playing
MT 220-252	piano instruction and study
Z 6814 .P6	piano and piano music bibliographies

Subject Headings

The following are a few examples of subject headings related to the piano which you may find useful when searching or browsing in Mirlyn. For a complete list, consult the Library of Congress Subject Headings located on top of the New Book Shelf.

For scores and recordings:

• piano music (yields solo piano music)
• piano music 4 hands (yields piano duets)
• piano music pianos 2 (yields music for 2 pianos)
• piano with orchestra
• concertos piano
• sonatas piano
• piano--studies and exercises

For books:

• piano
• piano--bibliography
• piano--construction
• piano--history
• piano--instruction and study
• piano--methods
• piano--performance
• pianists

General Works

Dubal, David. The Art of the Piano: Its Performers, Literature, and Recordings. 3d ed. Pompton Plains, NJ: Amadeus Press, 2004.
Reference: ML 105 .D81 2004

Part one provides brief sketches and assessments of history's best-known concert pianists. Part two, organized by composer, presents brief discussions of the masterpieces of the repertoire, along with a selection of noteworthy recordings of each work.

Hinson, Maurice. The Pianist's Bookshelf: A Practical Guide to Books, Videos, and Other Resources. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1998.
Reference: Z 6814 .P6 H6646 1997

An annotated bibliography of materials related to various aspects of the piano, including history and criticism, analysis, aesthetics, ornamentation, pedagogy, accompanying, performance anxiety, and construction. Numerous subject indexes facilitate access, as entries are arranged alphabetically by author.

Hinson, Maurice. The Pianist's Dictionary. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2004.
Reference: ML 102 .P5 H461 2004

Includes definitions of terms, styles, names and nicknames of well-known pieces, leading pianists, composers of piano music, piano manufacturers, and parts of the piano.

Palmieri, Robert. Piano Information Guide: An Aid to Research. New York: Garland, 1989.
Z 6814 .P6 P17 1989

An annotated bibliography of materials concerning both the piano as instrument and the piano repertoire.

Repertoire Guides

Dees, Pamela Youngdahl. A Guide to Piano Music by Women Composers. 2 vols. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002-2004.
Reference: ML 102 .P5 D441 2002

An annotated catalog of the solo piano music of women composers. Volume one covers 144 women born before 1900, while volume two lists over 850 women born after 1900. Composer entries include biographical information, a list of piano works, and a list of collections and anthologies in which the composer's piano works appear. A brief description and level of difficulty accompany each work. Indexes list the composers according to country of origin and musical era.

Hinson, Maurice. Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire. 3d ed. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000.
Reference: Z 6814 .P6 H66 2000

Covers solo piano literature from around 1700 to the present. The guide is organized by composer and provides a brief description, available editions, and level of difficulty for each listed work.

Hinson, Maurice. Music for More Than One Piano: An Annotated Guide. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2001.
Reference: Z 6814 .P6 H664 2001

A guide to the repertoire of works for two pianos, for three or more pianos, for two or more pianos and other instruments, and for pianos and tape. The guide is organized by composer and provides a brief description, available editions, and level of difficulty for each listed work.

Hinson, Maurice. Music for Piano and Orchestra: An Annotated Guide. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1993.
Reference: Z 6814. P6 H666 1993

Covers works written for piano and eight or more other instruments, from around 1700 to the present. The guide is organized by composer and provides a brief description, available editions, and level of difficulty for each listed work. Contains indexes for works written for two pianos and orchestra, for three or more pianos and orchestra, for piano and band, for prepared piano and orchestra, and other combinations.

Hinson, Maurice. Pianist's Guide to Transcriptions, Arrangements, and Paraphrases. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990.
Reference: Z 6814 .P6 H665 1990

A guide to transcriptions, arrangements, and paraphrases, including works for solo piano, works for one hand, duets, works for two pianos, and other combinations. Works are described under the name of the original composer and are cross-referenced under the name of the transcriber. A brief description, available editions, and the level of difficulty are given for each composition.

Hinson, Maurice, and Wesley Roberts. The Piano in Chamber Ensemble: An Annotated Guide. 2d ed. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2006.
Reference: Z 6814 .C44 H66 2006

A guide to ensemble music for piano, including works for two to eight players. Works are organized according to the number of players, and within those categories, by specific instrumentation. A brief description, available editions, and the level of difficulty are given for each listed work.

Magrath, Jane. The Pianist's Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature. Van Nuys, CA: Alfred Publishing Company, 1995.
Reference: Z 6814 .P6 M34 1995

Covers the solo piano literature ranging from elementary teaching pieces to early-advanced works. The guide is organized by historical period, with alphabetical listings by composer within each period. The entry for each work provides a brief description and the suggested grade level.

McGraw, Cameron. Piano Duet Repertoire: Music Originally Written for One Piano, Four Hands. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981.
Reference: Z 6814 .P6 M15

A thorough guide to the piano duet literature of all periods. The guide is organized by composer and provides a brief description, along with the level of difficulty, for each work.

Patterson, Donald L. One Handed: A Guide to Piano Music for One Hand. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999.
Reference: Z 6814 .P6 P18 1999

This guide to one-handed music is divided into six sections: original works for the right hand alone, original works for the left hand alone, music arranged or transcribed for one hand alone, ensemble works for one hand, anthologies of music for one hand, and a selected discography of music for one hand.

Phemister, William. American Piano Concertos: A Bibliography. Detroit: Information Coordinators, 1985.
Reference: Z 6814 .P6 P54

A catalog of piano concertos written by native-born Americans, as well as by foreign-born composers who have been active in America. Entries include basic identifying information, as well as information regarding the first performance, publications, and recordings.

Piano Music - General Histories

Burge, David. Twentieth-Century Piano Music. New York: Schirmer, 1990.
ML 707 .B871 1990

Gordon, Stewart. A History of Keyboard Literature: Music for the Piano and Its Forerunners. New York: Schirmer, 1996.
ML 700 .G651 1996

Kirby, F. E. Music for Piano: A Short History. Portland: Amadeus Press, 1995.
ML 700 .K451 1995

Marshall, Robert L., ed. Eighteenth-Century Keyboard Music. New York: Schirmer, 1994.
ML 705 .E371 1994

Todd, R. Larry, ed. Nineteenth-Century Piano Music. 2d ed. New York: Routledge, 2004.
ML 706 .N561 2004


The Instrument

Loesser, Arthur. Men, Women, and Pianos: A Social History. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1954.
ML 650 .L84

A social history of the piano in Germany, Austria, England, France, and United States from the seventeenth through twentieth century.

Palmieri, Robert, ed. The Piano: An Encyclopedia. 2d ed. Encyclopedia of Keyboard Instruments. New York: Routledge, 2003- .
Reference: ML 102 .K5 E531 2003 v.1

A guide to all aspects of the piano as an instrument. Includes articles related to the structure, history, science, innovations, and builders of pianos.

"Pianoforte." In The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2d ed. New York: Grove's Dictionaries, 2001.
Reference: ML 100 .N53 2001

Part one of the article traces the development of the instrument, while part two outlines the history of piano playing.

Wolcott, Michiko Ishiyama. Piano, the Instrument: An Annotated Bibliography. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2001.
Reference: Z 6814 .P6 W86 2001

An annotated bibliography of English-language materials concerning the piano as instrument. The guide is divided into six sections: general, history of the piano, piano builders and manufacturers, construction and design, maintenance and repair, and miscellaneous subjects.

Pianists

Gillespie, John, and Anna Gillespie. Notable Twentieth-Century Pianists: A Bio-Critical Sourcebook. 2 vols. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1995.
Reference: ML 397 .G451 1995

A source book for one hundred significant pianists of the twentieth century. Entries include biographical information, stylistic analyses, lists of references and reviews, and selective discographies.

Kehler, George. The Piano in Concert. 2 vols. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1982.
Reference: ML 105 .K26

Lists the concert programs of more than two thousand pianists. The guide focuses on 19th- and 20th-century pianists, but also includes a limited number of 18th-century pianists. Brief biographical sketches are provided, along with citations of published reviews, when available.

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University of Michigan Music Library
Last updated 6/07