Research Guides: RUS 266G: Introduction to Russian Culture: Music

Russian Music

The following books are overviews of Russian music and are just a sampling of what's available at the Fulton Library. To find more books, use the instructions at the bottom of this page to search for books on specific composers such as Modest Mussorgsky or Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Note: Don't forget to search for alternate spellings of Russian names if you don't find results after your first search.

You can also find performances of classical Russian music in our streaming music databases (below).

Historical Dictionary of Russian Music (Ebook) by Daniel Jaffé
Publication Date: 2012
The Historical Dictionary of Russian Music covers the history of Russian music starting from the earliest archaeological discoveries to the present, including folk music, sacred music, and secular art music. The book contains a chronology, an introductory essay, an extensive bibliography, and over 500 cross-referenced dictionary entries on every major composer in Russia's history, as well as several leading composers of today, such as Sofia Gubaidulina, Rodion Shchedrin, Leonid Desyatnikov, Elena Firsova, and Pavel Karmanov. It also includes the patrons and institutions that commissioned works by those composers and the choreographers and dancers who helped shape the great ballet masterpieces.
History of Music in Russia from Antiquity to 1800, Vol. 1: From Antiquity to the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century (Ebook) by Nikolai Findeizen, Milos Velimirovic, and Claudia R. Jensen (Editors)
Publication Date: 2008
In its scope and command of primary sources and its generosity of scholarly inquiry, Nikolai Findeizen's monumental work, published in 1928 and 1929 in Soviet Russia, places the origins and development of music in Russia within the context of Russia's cultural and social history.
History of Music in Russia from Antiquity to 1800, Vol. 2: The Eighteenth Century (Ebook) by Nikolai Findeizen, Milos Velimirovic, and Claudia R. Jensen (Editors)
Publication Date: 2008
Volume 2 of Findeizen's landmark study surveys music in court life during the reigns of Elizabeth I and Catherine II, music in Russian domestic and public life in the second half of the 18th century, and the variety and vitality of Russian music at the end of the 18th century.

Streaming Music

Our streaming music libraries mostly feature classical European music, but other genres and styles of music are available in some of these databases.

Music and Performing Arts Channel This link opens in a new window
Non-peer reviewed. Videos. Music streaming.
This multidisciplinary collection specializes in music and performing arts content. Presents audio, reference, videos, and scores.
Music Online: Listening Plus This link opens in a new window
Non-peer reviewed. Music streaming.
This multidisciplinary music collection indexes audiovisual content. Includes thousands of albums, plus unique and valuable content from global producers and distributors.
National Jukebox This link opens in a new window
Non-peer reviewed. Full-text content. Open access. Music streaming.
Created by the Library of Congress, this collection indexes thousands of historical recordings. Includes performances by Caruso and Jolson, blues, musical theater, opera, yodeling, and much more.
Naxos Music Library This link opens in a new window
Non-peer reviewed. Full-text content.
Specializes in online music streaming. Allows users to stream classical music, jazz, opera, folk music, world music, and more.