The Endangered Music Archive is intended to support exploration, research, and informed musical rediscovery. While the archive provides access to a wide range of historical materials, users are encouraged to engage with them thoughtfully and with an understanding of their context.
This page outlines how the archive may be used, and how its materials are best interpreted.
Navigating the archive
The archive is organised around collections, each of which represents a distinct historical music library or ensemble.
Users may:
- browse individual collections
- search within collections using descriptive metadata
- explore relationships between works, parts, publishers, and ensembles
Each record is presented as a documentation of surviving material, not as a definitive representation of a musical work.
Understanding archive records
Archive records reflect the condition and organisation of the original collection.
As a result:
- titles may vary or appear in multiple forms
- composer attributions may be incomplete or uncertain
- instrumentation may reflect available parts rather than original scoring
- catalogue numbers and classifications may follow historical rather than modern logic
Users are encouraged to consult accompanying notes and metadata fields carefully before drawing conclusions.
Downloads and use of materials
Where digital files are made available, they are provided primarily for:
- research and study
- contextual understanding
- reference and verification
Digitised materials are not guaranteed to be complete, performance-ready, or free from historical inconsistencies. Users intending to perform from archived materials should undertake their own verification and preparation.
Citation and acknowledgement
When using materials from the Endangered Music Archive in research, publications, or programme notes, users are encouraged to acknowledge the archive and the relevant collection.
Where applicable, citations should include:
- the name of the collection
- tldhe item or record identifier
- the Endangered Music Archive
The format should be similar to this:
Endangered Music Archive, Name of Collection. Title of work. Digital archive, accessed Day Month Year.
URL of item page.
For example:
Endangered Music Archive, Benvenuti Collection. The High Roller. Digital archive, accessed 12 March 2025.
https://endangeredmusicarchive.org/the_benvenuti_collection/the-high-roller/
When referencing materials from the Endangered Music Archive in research, publications, or programme notes, please acknowledge the archive and the relevant collection.
Clear citation supports both scholarly transparency and the long-term sustainability of archival work.
Copyright and responsibility
The Endangered Music Archive documents historical materials whose copyright status may vary by jurisdiction.
The archive does not assert copyright over underlying works unless explicitly stated. Users are responsible for determining copyright status and securing any necessary permissions before performance, publication, or commercial use.
Corrections and contributions
Historical archives benefit from collective knowledge.
Users who identify errors, omissions, or additional contextual information are encouraged to contact the archive. Corrections and clarifications may be incorporated into records as part of the archive’s ongoing development.
Further guidance
The principles outlined here are supported by the following pages:
Together, these pages explain not only how the archive may be used, but how it should be understood.
Responsible use begins with understanding what an archive can — and cannot — provide.