The University of Cambridge has many research resources relating to music on offer. They range from archives, printed collections and electronic resources to research centers and societies.
Archives
University Library Composer archives
- William Alwyn
- Arthur Bliss
- Roberto Gerhard
- Timothy Moore (in preparation)
- Peter Tranchell
College Archives
- Janus provides access to more than 1800 catalogues of archives held throughout Cambridge
Library collections
University Library
- Music Department. The collection of printed music and books on music is one of the largest in the country. Under the provisions of legal deposit, the library has a right to receive all books and music published in the British Isles.
- Manuscripts. The collection of music manuscripts contains a number of significant items. Among the many medieval liturgical manuscripts are important sources for English plainsong. From the early 17th century there are several volumes of lute and broken consort music. In recent years autograph manuscripts by many 20th-century British composers have been acquired.
- Rare Books and early printed music. The Library has extensive holdings of early editions, including musical incunabula as well as 16th- and early 17th-century part-books, 18th-century instrumental music, early editions of Haydn and treatises on music.
- Concert Programmes
- Microfilms
Pendlebury Library of Music
- Collections containing books, scores, sound recordings, facsimiles, microfilms and digital images supporting Faculty teaching and research.
Fitzwilliam Museum
- Collection of manuscripts, music and printed books. The Fitzwilliam Museum’s music holdings include a very important Handel collection.
College Libraries
Many have significant and extensive research collections, some of which relate to or include music. A selection:
- King’s College – Rowe Music Library
- Trinity College Library
- Christ’s College
- St. John’s College
- Corpus Christi Parker Library
Electronic resources
Ebooks, ejournals, edatabases, sound recordings, manuscripts, scores and much more are accessible via:
- University Library: eresources@cambridge
- Pendlebury Library of Music
Research centres
- Research Centre for Musical Performance as Creative Practice (CMPCP): a five-year research programme focused on live musical performance and creative music-making.
- Centre for Music and Science: Located in a purpose built wing of the University Music School it comprises a fully sound-isolated Recording Studio (consisting of a Control Room and Recording Room, both linked to the Concert Hall and new Recital Room) a computer room and a research room. Research links the field of music with psychology, acoustics, computer science and neuroscience.
- Research Centre for Early Music: located in the Pendlebury Library of Music the centre provides facilities for the study of source materials.