Schönberg's Sechs kleine Klavierstücke (Six little piano pieces), op. 19, were composed during a very creative period in Schönberg's life, around the years 1910-1912. In addition to musical composition, Schönberg exhibited his paintings and kept a lively correspondence with his friend, the expressionist painter Kandinsky, and was also at work completing his orchestration for the Gurre-Lieder, and writing his Theory of Harmony. Five of the Six little piano pieces were composed in a single day, February 19, 1911. After the revered composer Gustav Mahler's death on May 18, 1911, Schönberg painted his impression of the event, the Begrabnis von Gustav Mahler (Burial of Gustav Mahler), and then composed the sixth piece in the op. 19 set, on June 17, 1911.

Announcing a new music database: Academic Charts Online

Academic Charts Online: International Popular Music (ACO:IPM)

ACO is a new subscription database which includes over 60 years of popular music charts from the Americas, Europe and some Asian territories. Data is provided by Billboard, The Official Charts Company, Aria Charts and other similar sources.

Searching is possible by artist, single or album title, date, label, and chart position. Sophisticated tools then allow you to interpret, graph, analyze, compare and contrast musical trends and interactions. For instance you can chart the performance of Adele’s album 21 in the US, UK, and Australia. You are also able to superimpose graphs from different artists, countries and formats and display them in absolute or relative time. The instructional videos on the web site may be useful in learning how to use the graph function.

Most tracks and albums have audio samples.

The opening phrase of the fifth symphony, in Beethoven's hand

Beethoven mania!

"The Beethoven Project is a large-scale celebration acknowledging Bing Concert Hall as the new home of the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and Stanford Philharmonia Orchestra. These ensembles, under the baton of Jindong Cai, will devote the season to the performance of all nine Beethoven symphonies, as well as all five of the composer’s piano concerti featuring Van Cliburn Gold Medal–winning pianist and Stanford alumnus Jon Nakamatsu.

A steady stream of Riverwalk Jazz

Did you read the news a few months ago about the Riverwalk Jazz archive coming to Stanford? Now the collection of radio shows is available online, featuring two channels of continuous audio streams: http://riverwalkjazz.stanford.edu/.

As fans of the long-running public radio program know, Riverwalk Jazz tells the story of early jazz and blues as it evolved in the first half of the 20th century. Using rich narrative, oral histories and interviews, clips of historic musical recordings, and live musical performances by the Jim Cullum Jazz Band, each radio show entertains and educates its listeners, promoting classic jazz music and an appreciation for its place in history. With this new web site, the series of programs is presented by the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound as an incomparable research collection for use by jazz scholars and fans alike.

Christmas music for your home, office, or mobile

Did you know that all seven streaming audio databases offer selections of Christmas music that you can stream to your home or work computer, or your smartphone? Just search “Christmas” in each database to start browsing.

Access is restricted to Stanford users.

Media study room now open

The Music Library media study room is now open. The room contains a study table and seating for up to five people. Audiovisual equipment includes a color video monitor and components to play all-region DVD, Blu-Ray, VHS, LaserDisc, LP, and CD formats. Connector cables will soon be available to allow projection from PC and Mac laptops.

Use guidelines:

Available on a first-come basis; keys not required
Priority use goes to patrons needing the playback equipment
Groups of two or more take priority over single-person use
Please observe a two-hour limit when others are waiting
Food and drinks are not allowed

The room may be reserved in advance; please contact Ray Heigemeir to make arrangements. We do not yet have an automated reservation system; this may be developed in response to demand.

Stream music on your mobile device

Attention, music lovers! Did you know that thousands of classical and jazz albums can be streamed to your mobile device at work, home, or on the go? Apps for iPhone/iPad and Android are available for the Naxos Music Library and Naxos Jazz streaming audio databases. Follow the instructions below; your Stanford email address is required.

1. Open the Naxos Music Library (or Naxos Jazz) site on your desktop computer, using the link on this Music Library page: http://library.stanford.edu/music/streaming-media

2. Go to the playlists page -- the tab is one among many in the row near the top of your screen. You can create playlists on your desktop that you can access and share on your mobile device.

3. Click on "sign up" in the right top corner and follow the instructions. You must use your Stanford email, along with a password of your choice.

4. Install the app on your mobile device. iPad users please note: look for the app under the iPhone tab. This single app works on both devices.

5. Enter you user name (your email) and password in the sign in box. Log in just once; your settings will be saved.

6. Search the catalog. Explore new music. Enjoy!

Rare opera films online

Richard Bonelli (1889-1980), an internationally-known baritone and noted voice teacher, performed frequently in San Francisco in the 1920s and 1930s. The Richard Bonelli Collection, consisting of letters, photographs, programs, scores, scrapbooks, and other material, is available to researchers at the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound. Additionally, a number of commercial recordings featuring Bonelli may be consulted in the Archive, and several CD reissues may be borrowed from the Music Library.

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New arrival: Schönberg, Sechs kleine Klavierstücke, op. 19