Introduction
The Music & Performing Arts Library has thousands of recordings available to stream online or play on DVD, CD, and LP!
To search for audio and video in the catalog, start with a keyword search for a specific performer, composer, style, or song title in the library catalog and use the "Material Type" filter on the advanced search screen to restrict your search to "Sound Recordings" or "Video/Film" depending on your needs.
When you click into the item records for different materials, check the material's location and format information to see if it is available to stream or if it exists in physical form on DVD, CD, or LP. For more help distinguishing identifying format information, see our Introduction to Audio & Video Formats.
If you're hoping to browse, see the recommendations listed below for a place to start!
Helpful Topics for Browsing the Catalog
The Media Collection is kept behind the service desk. When you have found a recording you would like to listen to or borrow, please bring the call number to the desk and a staff member will get it for you.
Recommended subject headings for electronic and digital music scores are:
- Film Music
- Trance Music
- Soundscapes
- Electronic Dance Music
- Computer Music
- Sound Effects
- Electronic Music
- Video Game Music
- Music for Percussion and Electronics (or Music for Piano and Electronics, etc. - add the instrument of your choice)
Make sure you've limited "Material Type" to "Sound Recordings" or "Video/Film"
Streaming Databases
The Library subscribes to a variety of streaming services for the performing arts. We are linking several online collections below to give you a place to browse, but be sure to also check out our full list of audio and video platforms on our Streaming Media guide!
- Naxos Music Library This link opens in a new windowNaxos Music Library is the most comprehensive collection of classical music available online. It includes the complete Naxos, Marco Polo and Da Capo catalogues of over 170,000 tracks, including Classical music, Historical recordings, Jazz, World, Folk and Chinese music. Whilst listening, users can read notes on the works being played as well as biographical information on composers or artists in Naxos's extensive database.
- Classical Music Library This link opens in a new windowClassical music library is a classical music service that enables listening and learning at library and home computers. In addition to full recordings of the works on the site, it includes program notes, composer biographies, and images cross-referenced to the recordings. Genre incorporate vocal and choral, instrumental, stage and screen, orchestral, chamber, and opera and operetta, with a particular focus on contemporary music and women composers. Recordings can be downloaded for a fee. Covers music from the medieval time period to the 21st century.
- Opera in Video This link opens in a new windowThis searchable and browsable database contains five hundred hours of the most important opera performances, captured on video through staged productions, interviews, and documentaries.