The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians

Scope and content

The dictionary assembles articles written by specialists and aims to combine reliable factual material with critical syntheses of scholarship. Typical entries include life histories and works lists for composers and performers, descriptions of instruments and ensembles, surveys of styles and genres, and explanatory articles on theory, notation, and musicology. Entries often conclude with selected bibliographies and cross‑references that guide further reading.

Structure and features

• Signed, expert‑written articles that cite sources and differing viewpoints.
• Cross‑referencing between related topics to reflect music's interconnected nature.
• Illustrations, musical examples, and chronological lists where helpful.
• Bibliographic apparatus to support further research and verification.

These features make the dictionary valuable both for quick fact‑checking and for obtaining informed overviews that place composers or topics in historical and stylistic context.

History and development

Its roots lie in a late‑19th‑century dictionary begun under the editorship of George Grove; over time the work expanded through successive editorial projects into a comprehensive, multi‑volume reference. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries the content was migrated to a continuously updated digital platform that broadens access and allows timely revisions and new content additions.

The New Grove is notable for its international scope and scholarly editorial procedures. While no single reference can replace specialized monographs, it remains a foundational tool for librarians, educators, performers, and researchers seeking authoritative introductions and pathways into specialized literature.

Readers consulting the dictionary should treat it as a reliable synthesis that points to primary and secondary sources; for the most recent research, consult the bibliographies in each article and follow up with current journals and monographs.