Listen to Audio
>> Original cast recordings are usually studio recordings (i.e. not live in performance) but they use the cast that popularized the show. The words "original cast" usually appear in the title, but not always. Use these terms as keywords to find recordings, for example:
- West Side Story and original cast and recording
- In Advanced Search, [keywords] cast and [title] west side story and [format] Compact Discs, audio
>> Revival performances are produced years after the original run on Broadway. You can use this term as a keyword for revivial cast recordings.
- revival and compact and musicals
>> Hollywood musicals may or may not have originated on Broadway.
- The subject terms that libraries use generally apply to the plot of the film, e.g., "Dancers--Drama" for "Fame"
- The recording is usually called a "soundtrack" somewhere in the description, but the word won't be found as a subject. Use it as a keyword.
Finding CDs and LPs in OneSearch
OneSearch is the Ball State Libraries' integrated discovery tool for books, articles, recordings, scores, and other library material. It also indexes selected trustworthy online resources and incorporates subscription databases such as Academic Search Complete. On the Libraries' home page, you will see a simple search box:
OneSearch treats all words as keywords, and it treats numbers as keywords, too! You can narrow down your results by using the facets listed to the left of the search results. For compact discs owned by the Ball State Libraries, use the "Library Location" category, and select "Education, Music and Media Counter." For "Content Type," select "Music Recording," Click on "Locations" to find the call number to request selected CDs from the Education, Music and Media counter.
Recommended Discographies
A discography is a list of recordings, similar to a bibliography for books, where you can find albums and recordings organized by artist, label, or series. In the print Music Collection, musical theatre discographies can be found in ML156.4.M8 and are typically shelved the Music Reference section. Beyond print discographies which can quickly become outdated, check the website Discogs which stays current through community submissions.
Movie Musicals on Record: A Directory of Recordings of Motion Picture Musicals, 1927-1987 by
This discography provides a comprehensive listing of the songs from motion picture musicals, and the singers who performed them on commercially available albums. Covering the period from The Jazz Singer in 1927 to Three Amigos in 1987, and including 666 albums and 6,500 song titles, the book is a companion volume to Lynch's Broadway on Record (Greenwood Press, 1987), arranged in a similar format. While the scope is primarily American, albums of some foreign films that became popular in this country have been included. The entries are listed alphabetically by film title with the name of the company that produced it and the year it was first released. Remakes of musicial films are listed chronologically, and the original label and number are given, as well as information on the most recent reissue. This thoroughly researched reference offers easy access to a wealth of information on the subject of recorded songs from motion picture musicals and assists the user in identifying many little-known facts, such as the names of the title-song singers, names of singers who dubbed the voices of the stars, and additional composers and lyricists where there were several contributors to the film's score. Also provided is a complete guide to recording availability and type, and major composer, lyricists, and musical conductor credits are given, with an alphabetical list of cast members who sing on the recording. An exhaustive source for students and scholars of film history, film music, and popular culture, this book will be a valuable addition to all university and public libraries.
Call Number: ML156.4.M6 L9 1989 (Music Reference)Publication Date: 1989
Gramophone Musicals Good CD Guide, Second Edition by
Uniquely arranged by composer, with an additional section devoted entirely to singers, this fully updated guide explores the glorious heritage of musical theatre. Features biographies of composers.
Call Number: ML156.4.M8 G725 1998 (Music Reference)Publication Date: 1998
The TheaterMania Guide to Musical Theater Recordings by
The first ever-comprehensive guide to musical theatre recordings, this book covers the entire history of musical theatre. From Jerome Kern and the Gershwins to Bernstein and Sondheim, here are capsule reviews and ratings of more than 400 theatre recordings of the past 60 years. Organized alphabetically, each listing contains background information on the show, cast information, record label, catalogue number, whether the recording is currently in print, and an overall rating of one to five stars.
Call Number: ML156.4.M8 T54 2004 (Music Reference)Publication Date: 2004
MusicHound Soundtracks The Essential Album Guide to Film, Television, and Stage Music by
Modern soundtracks like City of Angels and Varsity Blues continue to top the charts, even while music from American in Paris and Grease still endure -- both today's soundtracks and earlier film and stage music offer some of the more memorable music of the century. The only soundtracks, though, that are easy to find are the ones that are of-the-moment -- the current hot Broadway show; the most-watched TV series; the top-grossing firm. Yesterday's soundtracks seem to drift into relative obscurity, making it hard for collectors to find the music, let alone information about the soundtrack. From Sondheim to Star Wars, MusicHound Soundtracks is the guide made just for this breed of music-lover. MusicHound Soundtracks reviews 3,000 soundtrack albums, including contemporary pop compilations and the classic orchestral scores. All the details on much-loved, or at least incessantly hummed, albums are easy to find. Entries are arranged alphabetically and offer album title, release year, bone (or woof) rating, composers, artists, and a review covering the highlights, lowlights and an overall evaluation of the soundtrack. MusicHound Soundtracks covers composers such as Elmer Bernstein, John Williams, Max Steiner, John Barry, Ennio Morricone, Bernard Herrmann and relative newcomers to the trade like Randy Newman, Danny Elfman and Marc Shaiman. Vital TV and stage soundtracks are included, such as The 60's, Chef Aid: The South Park Album, The Lion King, Rent and Hedwig & The Angry Inch. MusicHound Soundtracks concludes with a section reviewing compilation albums, followed by indexes to song title, composer, conductor, performer and five-bone recordings that make the best stuff a breeze to search for. More than 100 photos and a free CD sampler of dynamic soundtrack cuts make this mi
Call Number: ML156.9 .M87 2000 (Music Reference)Publication Date: 2000
Interlibrary Loan
Users are encouraged to search for items beyond University Libraries' catalog via RILM Abstracts of Music Literature and WorldCat. Materials not available in print or online may be requested through Interlibrary Loan. Please allow up to seven days for electronic delivery and up to fourteen days for delivery of physical items.