Historical Music Recordings Collection

Recordings on 78 rpm and LP discs make up the largest sections of the general collection, many of which can be accessed through the Library Catalog. 

Use the Advanced Search option to enter terms such as name(s) of performer, composer (as Author/Creator), title of the work or album, other details you know (such as record label, conductor, orchestra, publisher number, etc.), and select Sound Recordings from the Resource Type menu. Alternately, you can enter your terms in the Simple Search box and then use the facets on the left to refine your results to Audio.

Tip:  Title words for musical genres should be entered in the plural or with a wildcard symbol (concertos, concerto*; sonatas, sonata*) even when looking for only one work.

If you are not searching for a specific recording, but would like to browse the HMRC general collection, select the Browse option in the top menu of the Library Catalog.

In the Browse by options, scroll all the way to the bottom to select Local Call numbers, then enter HMRC into the search bar. To browse a certain format, enter HMRCLP, HMRCLP78, or HMRCCD

For uncatalogued 78s, we rely on shelf order and the Rigler and Deutsch Record Index. The index enables searching by authors/composers, titles, performers and labels (manufacturer names) and ties that information to issue and matrix numbers.  Once the issue number has been identified, library staff can check the shelves for a particular item, as the 78s are arranged by label name and issue number. Note that UT does not have the Index in its holdings, so it must be accessed through an outside institution. Contact Molly Roy, the Performing Arts Librarian, for assistance and further information.