Several years ago, the Music Library made available online four of its locally developed databases that provide access to Special Collections materials: the Catalog of the Americana Collection, the Cuca Records Database, the Paramount Records Discography, and the Wisconsin Sheet Music Database. Recently, with the help of the library's Digital Content Group, two additional databases have been added to this suite of resources, the Popular Sheet Music Collection and the Wisconsin Folk Song Database. The addition of the last two resources coincided with the implementation of new software that permits all six of these databases to be searched in a single query. Users may also choose to search any one database or they may select a combination of databases to search simultaneously.
Any or all the databases can be launched from MadCat or the "Resources and Collections" section of the Mills Music Library's web site. The direct URL is http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/MillsSpColl/
Because the new software requires information to be formatted and presented differently than did the previous software, users may discover occasional inconsistencies in the bibliographic data. Music Library staff are updating the data and making the necessary changes as rapidly as possible. Please "pardon our dust" during this transition period.
Should you have any questions or comments regarding any of these resources, please contact us.
Here is more specific information on the scope and content of each database:
The Americana Collection. The Americana Collection contains sheet music published in America before 1900. The collection includes principally music from the popular tradition, although that distinction is blurred until circa 1865. Many compositions are songs for voice and piano, but music for solo piano and other instrumental music is also included. Midwest publishers are well represented as is music by women composers. Publication dates begin in the 1790s and extend to 1900. The Americana Collection numbers approximately 30,000 items of which 2700 are currently online.
The Cuca Records Database. The aim of this database is to provide discographical information for all known LP recordings released by Cuca Records and its affiliated labels. Most of these recordings are available in the Mills Music Library. Cuca Records of Sauk City, Wisconsin was founded by James Kirchstein in 1959 and actively produced LP and 45 rpm recordings until the early 1970s. During this period Cuca recorded and released primarily polka and ethnic music on LP but also issued other musical styles including pop, rhythm and blues, folk, and traditional jazz. Most musicians recorded by Cuca were from Wisconsin or adjacent states. Consequently, Cuca's recorded documents represent a focused view of Wisconsin musical performance during these years.
The Paramount Records Discography. This discography contains information about Paramount Records and three other record labels produced by the New York Recording Laboratories of Port Washington, Wisconsin: Broadway, Famous, and Puritan. All records included in the discography are in the library's collections. The New York Recording Laboratories was active from about 1917 - 1932. Paramount is widely known for its pioneering efforts in recording blues singers, but it also released recordings in other popular genres as well as ethnic and classical music. Wisconsin jazz and dance band musicians are represented in the collection as are recordings from the 1920s by University of Wisconsin students.
The Popular Sheet Music Collection. The Popular Sheet Music Collection consists of popular song sheets published in the United States since 1900. At present, approximately 10,500 titles have been entered into the database, and all of these items are held by the Mills Music Library. The collection has been assembled from many sources, but most significant are the materials of John A. Jaeger, a Milwaukee sheet music enthusiast, from whom the library acquired a major collection in the 1980s. As an avid collector, Jaeger amassed over 17,000 titles including more than 8600 popular song sheets, thirteen bound volumes of nineteenth century music, dance folios, and other popular instrumental music.
Wisconsin Folksong Database: Helene Stratman-Thomas Collection. The database documents nearly 800 performances representing over thirty ethnic or geographical sources recorded in Wisconsin during the summers of 1940, 1941, and 1946 by Helene Stratman-Thomas. While vocal music predominates, instrumental music incorporating the accordion, guitar, Hardanger fiddle, psalmodikon, and tamburica were also recorded. The recordings have been transferred to compact discs and are available for patron use in the Mills Music Library.
Wisconsin Sheet Music Database. This is an index of items housed in the sheet music collection of the Wisconsin Music Archives. The collection contains music written by Wisconsin composers, published by Wisconsin publishers, and pieces whose subject matter is Wisconsin. The publications date from the late 1850s, extend to the present, and include principally, but not exclusively, popular music traditions. While the majority of pieces are songs, the database also includes music for piano, instrumental music, and choral music. English, of course, predominates, but a significant number of German- language items can be found. Currently, the total Wisconsin sheet music collection numbers approximately 3500 items with about 2800 items included in this index.