Guide to Piano
Here you will find an overview of the piano resources at the State Library with search tips.
The Collection
Scores for Loan
The State Library has a very comprehensive collection of scores and sheet music for piano, piano duet, 2 pianos and chamber ensembles that include piano and basso continuo. There are tutors for piano students of varying levels of ability, from the absolute beginner to those brushing up as an adult after learning as a child. The standard piano repertoire is very well-covered and supplemented by scores of exercises, studies, suites, variations and arrangements. All genres are covered including ballet and other forms of dance, popular, jazz, wedding music, film and television and musicals.
A strength of the collection is the varied editions collected of standard works such as sonatas and concerto reductions. Urtext, European, English, American and Australian editions give students choice in interpretation, fingering and other editorial influences. We collect most works listed from Grade 4 and above in the Australian Music Examinations Board syllabuses for Piano and Piano for Leisure.
Reference Material
The reference collection of books, journals and electronic databases includes material on the history of the piano, piano technique, piano tuning, maintenance and rebuilding, piano atlases, composers of piano music, piano repertoire and analyses and bibliographies.
Recordings
We hold a collection of CDs and LPs that can be listened to on-site. Recordings of different performances of standard works are collected in order to enhance the student's listening experience. You can also listen to tracks using the on-line database Naxos Music Library.There is a small classical loan collection of audio cassettes available.
Searching for Scores and Recordings
Scores and recordings can be found by using the catalogue and searching by composer. You may search by title, but you may not find all copies of the work if you only use one translation of the title, such as The Well-tempered Clavier instead of Das Wohltemperierte Klavier. Use our Guide to Searching for Classical Music scores as a starting point. All piano music can be found on the shelves at the classification Q.
You may also search by subject. For arrangements, add the term Arranged at the end of the subject. Useful subject searches are:
- Piano music
- Piano music, Arranged
- Piano -- Methods
- Piano music (4 hands)
- Piano music (4 hands), Arranged.
- Concertos (Piano) -- 2-piano scores
- Piano music (Pianos (2)), Arranged.
- Canons, fugues, etc. (Piano)
- Sonatas (Piano)
- Suites
Searching for Information
The book and journal material can be found using the catalogue. If you are looking for a specific title, use the author or title search. If you are looking for material on a subject, use the keyword or subject option. Useful subject and keyword searches are:
- Piano
- Piano music
- Piano makers
- Piano performance
- Pianists
- History
- Tuning
- Construction
- Analysis, Appreciation
- Interpretation (Phrasing, dynamics, etc.)
Further information on this site
Page last updated: 16/12/2008 16:12:56