The European Library

TheEuropeanLibrary.org, accesses an outstanding set of music collections from all over Europe. To browse scores or rare music, everything that is in a digital form in the National Libraries of Europe can be retrieved via this site.  There are printed music collections, from antique printed scores to contemporary tunes and music manuscripts are also featured, from centuries ago until the present.

As well as music collections The European Library will also give you access to information about music held in books and journals, from the music itself to the composer. National biographies often contain information on a composer’s music.  Collections of performers, music publishers and writers are all available. Many of the early music collections reflect the diversity of the European cultural heritage told through music.

The national libraries of Europe are troves of audio, music and sound. The European Library’s considerable music collections reflect the range of music held in these national repositories. Whether you are a musician, music is your hobby or you are researching a particular music area,  TheEuropeanLibrary.org is likely to give you some of the answers. The library boasts first editions of music by many the important European composers forever preserved thanks to digital technology. The music collections that you seek are more easily available than you may think.