Nobody but you guys, and my piano teacher, would understand but I feel so excited because I have joined the Barbican library, which has its own separate music library. For my homework I have to follow two scores so have borrowed J.S. Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 and Mozart, Symphony No. 40. I also have borrowed some books on score reading. I went to the Victoria music library but did not like it as much as the Barbican, and anyway I live not too far the Barbican.

Ooh I'm so jealous! My dad's a member, but it's not the same as looking around yourself!

Do you live too far, BBTOTW?

I live about an hour away, but it's too far to just go there when I feel like it. My dad gets to go there every day because he works about 5 minutes down the road from there! Not fair

It is a shame there are not more music libraries. The Barbican library even has a piano that you can practise on. I don't know what it is like in other parts of the country but in London I think we only have perhaps two or three, or maybe four.

Wow - a piano in a library - how cool is that!!!!!!

We have a music library reasonably local - didn't have to join, as I recall, it's part of the county library system. It hasn't got masses of variety, especially for music for my main instrument, but it has proved useful, and it also rents out CDs. I don't get there often though, it's too far without having easy transport.

They have a big section of scores and music books for nearly every instrument, Its all quite dated now with nothing particularly new. I read an old clarinet tutor book which was quite funny and incredibly politically incorrect!

Our music library isn't that bad in terms of being up to date - I was pleasantly surprised by some of the things they actually had - but it wasn't a huge selection

I imagine everywhere must have a music library. It's just a case of finding out where it is. We manage to have a music library and I live in one of the least populated counties. I guess the place to ask is your main book library.

Our main library has a tiny selection of music - a few piano exam books that are out of date by now, and a couple of mouldy looking orchestral scores. Nothing thats really useful I would love to be near a decent music library!

Don't forget that you can also find the scores here:

http://www.el-atril.com/partituras/Mozart/sinfos/M40.PDF

http://www.el-atril.com/partituras/Bachcontenido.html



Steve

The Leicester Central Lending Library has a whole ground floor dedicated to music. They sometimes have sales too, so for instance I got the Schumann Romances which Sarah loves for 50p

This is one of the few things I miss now I don't have to travel to London for my job at frequent intervals. I spent many a lunch hour in the Barbican Library with a friend from work listening to him play the piano.

Thanks for the info, Steve. I didn't even know how to find scores on line.

Where is it?

There's an awesome music library in Nottingham, which has an amazing collection. Only now they're renamed it the 'Sound and Vision' library and they've shoved the DVD and video collection in there too, and so load of the old stuff has now been stored in the basement. If you need something from down there, then you have to wait for 45 mins while they get it. Fairly annoyed cause now there's a huge gap in the middle of the ground floor where the videos used to be anyway, there was no need to do any rearraging, I liked the old layout much better, thank you very much.

There's also the University on Nottingham Music Library, which is also really nice. Has no books on John Ireland and none of his music either, so I like the public one much better.

Seeing as I'm in London now, I should probably try and join the British Library and the Barbican Library too.

I take it you have an interest in John Ireland?? I love Ragamuffin! [Sorry Im a little off topic]

Yeah I love John Ireland I'm working on getting all the sheet music for his piano compositions. Going to set me back a bit, but I'd rather do that than have to go to the music library all the time.

Looks like I'm eligible to apply for membership at the Barbican Library and the British Library! Joy!

Great collection of stuff at the British Library - I was in it once doing some reserach - I don't know anything about the Barbican.

Have you played any of his music?

Yes, I can play 'The Darkened Valley', or at least I could a year ago (not done much practice since then). Learning that was what got me interested, read a book on the guy, listened to a load of his stuff. Really interesting person, beautiful music. Tried to learn 'The Almond Tree' over Christmas, but didn't get too far. Hopefully after uni is over for the year, I'll be able to fit a load of practice in. In the Barbican possibily! If I become a member. Then I can technically say that I've played in the Barbican

What led to Ireland's music then?

Heard it played at a concert once - and liked what I heard. I think so-ho is another of his. We will get a telling off if we continue this in this thread....im scared!!!!

From the London Pieces I think. I'd start a thread, but I've the feeling we'd be the only ones in there, he isn't amazingly popular. Which is a pity.

ANYWAY, I'd better gather all my student ID together so I can join the Barbican Music library!

(That's it from me... Really . Actually I might start a 'Let make you a fan of John Ireland' thread if I'm still up to it in a while... really should be revising... and getting stuff to I can join the MUSIC LIBRARY...)

That's not a bad idea

oooo I wonder if the barbican library has Max Bruch, swedish dances