Get some background on your topic
Once you've identified your topic, you should start by gathering some background information on it. The resources below will be great places to start! Keep the following points in mind when you're reading through background sources like encyclopedias and reference books:
- Brainstorm a list of 6-8 keywords associated with your topic. These can include key composers or theorists, music terms, or any other words that come to mind. These keywords will give you a something to watch for when you're reading your background sources.
- Your list of keywords might change, and that's ok! Keep track of new keywords you identify as you explore the background on your topic. These keywords may get narrower or broader as you learn more about your topic, and it's important to stay flexible - you never know what path your research may take.
- Don't forget to look at the end of the encyclopedia article you're reading - there may be a great bibliography that can point you toward additional relevant resources!
Start with Oxford Music Online and MGG Online
Starting your research with music-specific encyclopedias is a great way to gather trustworthy background info on composers, styles, and individual pieces that can jump start your understanding and help you get more out of resources with a more narrow focus like journal articles and books.
- Oxford Music OnlineSearch this authoritative collection for music research resources charting the diverse histories and cultures of music around the globe. Access is limited for 8 simultaneous users.
- MGG OnlineMGG Online is a general encyclopedia of music. MGG offers in-depth articles on every aspect of music as well as many related areas such as literature, philosophy, and visual arts. MGG Online contains the second print edition of MGG, published from 1994 to 2008, as well as current, continuous online updates and additions.
Oxford Music Online (which is in English and includes the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians and several other music reference resources) and MGG Online (the premier German-language music encyclopedia) are excellent places to start gathering background information for your presentations and program notes. In both Oxford Music Online and MGG Online, you’ll find concise overviews of the life and works of musicians and composers, information on music genres, and more. These are a great places to start exploring your topic and learning about the context; better yet, they're scholarly sources including entries written and reviewed by experts, so you know they're trustworthy.
TIPS:
- Use the search bar at the top of the screen to search for a relevant entry on your topic; usually, this should be an entry for a composer or a musical genre.
- Once you find a relevant entry, you can use the built-in navigation menus to jump to specific portions of it.
- While reading through your entry, keep track of any new keywords you come across; these will be helpful for future searches.
- Many Oxford Music Online and MGG Online entries include:
- Composer works lists: These may be a complete list of a composer's oeuvre or selected works, and will often provide information about the dates of composition, premiere performances, and even the current locations of manuscript copies.
- Bibliographies: these are lists of works that could also be helpful sources for your research!
General Resources on Nazi Germany and the Holocaust
The Routledge History of the Holocaust by Call Number: eBookISBN: 9780203837443Publication Date: 2010A comprehensive introduction to the history of the Holocaust, this volume has 42 chapters which add important depth to the academic study of the Holocaust, both geographically and topically. The chapters address such diverse issues as: continuities in German and European history with respect to genocide prior to 1939 the eugenic roots of Nazi anti-Semitism the response of Europe's Jewish Communities to persecution and destruction the Final Solution as the German occupation instituted it across Europe rescue and rescuer motivations the problem of prosecuting war crimes gender and Holocaust experience the persecution of non-Jewish victims the Holocaust in postwar cultural venues.
A Companion to Nazi Germany by Call Number: eBookISBN: 9781118936870Publication Date: 2018A Companion to Nazi Germany addresses crucial questions with historical insight from the Nazi Party's emergence in the 1920s through its postwar repercussions. From the theory and context that gave rise to the movement, through its structural, cultural, economic, and social impacts, to the era's lasting legacy, this book offers an in-depth examination of modern history's most infamous reign. Assesses the historiography of Nazism and the prehistory of the regime Provides deep insight into labor, education, research, and home life amidst the Third Reich's ideological imperatives Describes how the Third Reich affected business, the economy, and the culture, including sports, entertainment, and religion.
