RISM for Musicians

Thursday, October 9, 2025

Although at the time of its founding RISM was designed for libraries and scholars, there are of course many cases where our database can be a particularly valuable resource for musicians. Those who simply want to play from the latest commercial edition of a work will not find what they are looking for in RISM, which focuses on historical sources. But for those who search more ambitiously for rarities, RISM will prove to be a unique resource for new discoveries.

Our database can help you find new repertoire or put together exciting concert programs. Sometimes professional musicians also need to consult the original autograph manuscript or other historical sources, like if there is no critical edition available or if they want to look into ambiguities for themselves in a modern edition. Another interesting aspect is that handwritten annotations on a source can provide valuable information on performance practice.

On our new page RISM for Musicians we have listed some search strategies that can serve as a starting point for your own research.

Image: Carminum pro Testudine, Louvain, Pierre Phalèse, 1546. RISM ID no. 993104483 (RISM Catalog | RISM Online), A-Wn copy. Available online (Digitale Angebote/Österreichische Nationalbibliothek).

Category: New at RISM