The present study deals with the basic problems of what the kantele is and how it is played, and the more complex problem of the meaning of tradition in our modern world. Among the Finns, the kantele manifests itself as a musical instrument, a motif of folklore, and a symbol of identity.

The structure of the instrument has changed radically…[Read more]

This article describes the scholarly literature pertaining to the Baltic psalteries, instruments played in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Karelian part of Russia. It is an update of a seminal article on Baltic psaltery bibliography done by Stephen Reynolds in 1973. Since that time, communication among scholars has increased greatly,…[Read more]

The kantele is the national instrument of Finland and as such has a strong symbolic significance both to Finns and Finnish Americans. The symbolic significance both helps and hiders the acceptance of the instrument. While everyone in the culture knows about the kantele, most only know of its mythology, so its acceptance as a living tradition can…[Read more]

The lifelong work of Samuel Bayard was the collection of folk music and folk songs, especially
from Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia. Bayard initially made
transcriptions in the field, but between 1948 and 1963 he recorded some 68 performers –
fiddlers, fifers, singers, and a few storytellers – on 28 reels of tape. He donated his…[Read more]

World Music is the currently popular alternative for terms such as primitive, non-Western, ethnic and folk music. It has come to the forefront by its use in commercial and academic circles. With the growth of worldwide systems of communication and commerce, music librarians will feel increasing demands for materials characterized as world music.

This book chapter examines “world music” as found in libraries. It gives a basic overview of the textbooks of ethnomusicology, the basic reference tools, subject access to world music, and specialty vendors to purchase world music materials.

This paper and select bibliography give a brief summary of the lives and works of seven American women pioneers of ethnomusicology: Alice Cunningham Fletcher, Frances Densmore, Helen Roberts, Natalie Curtis Burlin, Ruth Crawford Seeger, Sidney Robertson Cowell and Laura Boulton. It describes the state of research and publication for each of…[Read more]

Since 1987 I have taught a graduate “Bibliography of Music” course at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In recent years I have been concerned that my students had a difficult time in learning basic bibliographical skills, such as proper citation, searching catalogs and indexes, using reference books, and creating an annotated bibliography. T…[Read more]

I taught a graduate “Bibliography of Music” course from 1987 to 2021. Although the world of information experienced a revolution, I continued to teach the same basic topics which included: bibliographical citation, catalogs, indexes and databases, encyclopedias and dictionaries, bibliographies, thematic catalogs, collected editions, popular and…[Read more]

This article and annotated bibliography pertain to the vernacular tune book collection of Samuel P. Bayard, housed at the Special Collections Library at The Pennsylvania State University. The collection reflects Bayard’s research interests, namely folk music, both instrumental and vocal, belonging to Anglo-Celtic traditions. He donated 139 t…[Read more]