Naxos Music Library

There's a quote from the play the Mourning Bride by William Congreve that goes, "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast". In our Naxos Music Library eResource there is music that can soothe fans of any conceivable type of music. Naxos Music Library is the most comprehensive music streaming platform, divided into classical, jazz and world music.

Naxos Music Library brings the world of music to your fingertips. You can listen to your favourite world music or find out information on your favourite composer. It contains a wide range of standard and specialist repertoire and hundreds of new albums are added each month. It covers everything from Chinese music to choral music. There is an interactive musical dictionary and there are study notes which can help with musical examinations. It features music from over 150 countries including articles and essays on many different types of music. 

When you log into Naxos Music Library you will see an area called Categories. There are many categories of music including Film And TV Music e.g. the Last Emperor, Game Of Thrones, and West Side Story - Pop And Rock e.g. Violin Player By Vanessa Rae, Heart Of A Dog By Laurie Anderson and Together For The Children Of Bosnia by Luciano Pavarotti and Friends – and Vocals e.g. The Very Best Of By Montserrat Caballe, Golden Years by Jose Carreras and 50 Greatest Tracks by Placido Domingo.

In the Resources section which has an educational focus there is a dictionary which focuses on musical terms, composers and instruments. It explains musical terms clearly and simply. Allied to this there is a Study Guide which students can make use of depending on whether they are living in Ireland or England. It provides a wealth of information which students can use to help them with their state examinations. It is an indispensable resource to music students. Also there are essays on particular eras of classical music and the composers associated with it e.g. The Baroque Era 1600 to 1750, which includes pieces on two composers; Johann Sebastian Bach, and G.F. Handel 1685-1759.

Children are not forgotten about, with is a whole area devoted to them. There is everything from stories to songs to encourage children to read music and listen to it. Stories like The Night before Christmas and Peter and the Wolf are set to music. There are interactive quizzes and games which introduce children to the magic of classical music. It also includes a topic called Universal Children's Audio which is based in New Zealand, whose objective is to use music and stories to encourage a range of activities that nurture and develop the whole child.

The last area mentioned is Musicology, which encompasses all aspects of music in all cultures and historical periods. It contains articles and opinions on many diverse musical topics such as the influence of jazz in Latin American Music, whether it’s proper to eat or drink while listening to classical music in the concert hall and how did music reflect the growing rise of nationalism in nineteenth century Europe?

If you are a fan of music, Naxos Music Library is a magnificent resource and all you need to use it is a library card. To register for Naxos please send an email with your name and library card number to [email protected].

Our subscription includes Naxos Music Library which is orientated towards classical music, Naxos Music Library Jazz, and Naxos Music Library World.

Submitted by John in Inchicore Library.