The Gilmore Music Library is one of the largest collections of music scores, sound recordings, and music research materials in the United States. As such, the it reflects the centrality of musical performance and scholarship at Yale University
A commitment to music manifested itself in the University Library before 1850, by which time the Library had already begun acquiring important European publications of music scores and periodicals. The bequest of Lowell Mason's private library in 1873 increased the University's holdings in music by an additional 10,000 items and added to the Library numerous manuscript scores and early printed writings about music.
Today the Music Library holds approximately 100,000 scores and parts for musical performance and study; 70,000 books about music; 35,000 LP recordings and compact discs; 11,600 microforms of manuscripts and scores; 45,000 pieces of sheet music; 95,000 photographs; 4,000 linear feet of archival materials; 560 individual music manuscripts not forming a portion of a larger collection; and 425 active subscriptions to music periodicals, and numerous electronic databases of books, scores, audio, and video.
Among the strengths of the Music Library collections are complete runs of nearly every available monumental set and composer's collected edition; an extensive collection of historical treatises on music theory; and early publications of opera scores and chamber music. Archival holdings include the complete papers and archives of Charles Ives, Virgil Thomson, Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya, Carl Ruggles, Leo Ornstein, Paul Bekker, Karl Weigl, Deems Taylor, Henry Gilbert, E. Robert Schmitz, Lehman Engel, Goddard Lieberson, Horatio Parker, Kay Swift, Harold Rome, Vladimir Horowitz, and Benny Goodman. A special collection focuses on Paul Hindemith's American years, and thousands of photographs of classical and jazz musicians are contained in the archives of Fred and Rose Plaut and Stanley and Helen Oakley Dance. For brief descriptions of the archival collections please see the Archival Papers Checklist. Individual manuscript holdings include autograph manuscripts of J. S. Bach, Frederic Chopin, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, and Franz Liszt. Researchers should make appointments to study archival and manuscript material.
To serve the music community at Yale and beyond.
"The Irving S. Gilmore Music Library at Yale University is one of the largest collections of music scores, sound recordings, and music research materials in the United States."
