And Now For Something Completely Different

If you're a longtime user of our fabulous Naxos Sheet Music Library, you may have noticed that the site looked a little static. Not bad. Not broken. Just the same as it ever was.

So when FreeHandMusic.com - the site we partnered with to power Naxos Sheet Music Library - became the fresh new OnlineSheetMusic.com we decided to go with the wave of change and give the Sheet Music Library a facelift.

Now that you're up to date, let's get to real talk about what's new. From the get-go at www.sheetmusiclib.com you'll immediately see a newly cleaned up, uncluttered interface. New navigation tools on the left-hand side of the screen will give you quick access to genres and instruments, while the bar along the top gives you immediate access to piano, guitar, and vocal music.

So clean and pretty. Can't...look...away...

But as always, we're more than just pretty faces. I don't have much time or space to chat about everything, but my favorite new feature is the ability to print in your browser. No longer will you need to download the Solero Viewer or deal with the Mac Freehand Viewer to get your music (unless you're into that, in which case forget everything I've said). 

Now you'll just find what you need, download, and print it from within your browser window!

Click download to pull your music...

...then print it from your browser!

Library folks, be not afraid. You won't need to update your URLs immediately, for we'll be directing you to the new site automatically. Your login details won't have changed, and your authentication information has been preserved. If you do run afoul of the system in some way, just let us know at nmlhelp@naxosusa.com.

Pro musica,

Mo
nmlhelp@naxosusa.com

New Advanced Search - Now Available on NML!

Hi Friends!

It's such a thrill to announce that the new Naxos Music Library Advanced Search is now LIVE!  To enjoy the new advanced search, visit the Naxos Music Library (either directly or through your institution's account) and click on "Advanced Search" in the main navigation bar.

In the near future, we'll be adding some more "tabs" to the Advanced Search feature - allowing you to search in even more exciting ways.  We'll release more information on the other tabs in the coming weeks, so for now enjoy a completely revamped searching experience. 

Below are some screenshots to help explain the various new features and functions coming with this release of the Advanced Search feature.

The first tab is a direct duplicate of the main "Keyword Search" box on the top of all NML pages.  If you've been using the keyword search, you'll be very familiar with this method of searching. 

NML Keyword Search

If you know the catalogue number of a particular recording, you can input it on this line.  We often use catalogue numbers on Facebook and Twitter to talk about music every day!  Friend and follow us to enjoy the conversation!

Search by catalogue number!

The third tab is the most changed of all 3.  In addition to near-immediate results, the new Advanced Search window now displays suggestive text.

In every field, you'll be guided by a brand new feature that assists the user in making sure those "pesky" names are spelled correctly.  Start typing "Tchai" and you'll be able to instantly drop in the full name of not only Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, but many, many others!

Suggestive Text

Another great new feature is the ability to narrow down searches based on work timing.  If you're looking to round out that perfect playlist with a 6 minute piano concerto, or add that final piece to your Senior Recital roster (clocking in at under 2 minutes) you can do that now!


Remember - if you don't enter a "start" duration, the NML will assume you're searching for anything from 0 to X - so be certain to specify a starting time if it's applicable. 

The example below yields CD's that contain a piece of music by Beethoven performed on the flute, with a complete work length between 5:00 and 5:59.

NML Time-Based Searching!

Find EXACTLY what you're looking for.  Get specific!

If you have any questions about the new features now available on NML, or just want to talk about the features more in-depth, feel free to call or write anytime. 


Happy (Advanced-Search-Fueled) Listening!
Nick


Nick D'Angiolillo
Naxos of America, Inc.
615.465.3836 (direct)
Nick@NaxosUSA.com

Join in the conversation!

Mobile Login Tracking!

Greetings Friends!

I hope everyone out there is ready for a jam-packed few months of Naxos Music Library updates! Below, we're proud to announce the first in a line-up of great new additions to the Naxos Music Library. This new Usage Statistics function will allow you to track and display your "mobile logins" separate from your "total logins".

Now, you'll know just how many people really are listening on-the-go!  Access your usage statistics the same way you would previously (by logging in with your "Librarian/Usage Stats." password) - you don't need to do anything special to get these new metrics to show up.

The "Total Logins" row does *NOT* include mobile logins at this time, so to get your true total, it's easiest to export the entire stats window to Excel (using the fancy button, below). These new statistics are available beginning for the month of March, 2012.


As always, please feel free to call or write us at Naxos anytime.

All the Best,
Nick


Nick D'Angiolillo
Naxos of America, Inc.
615.465.3836 (direct)
Nick@NaxosUSA.com

Join in the conversation!

Playlist Optimization Updates - 1.9.12

Hi Folks!

Our IT team is doing some "behind the scenes" playlist optimization shortly to improve some of the speed and functionality on some areas of the playlist pages. See their message below for some more details.

Maintenance will begin at approximately 4:00 CST (22:00 GMT) and last approximately 10 minutes.
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This outage should last no longer than 10 minutes.
During this time, Playlist functionality will be unavailable, some pages related to playlists may generate unexpected results.
Other site services and features will remain unaffected.
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Happy Listening!
Nick

Nick D'Angiolillo
MusicLibrary@NaxosUSA.com
www.NaxosMusicLibrary.com
www.NaxosVideoLibrary.com

Music for all occasions!

We love music. You're shocked, we know, and we want to make sure that finding those perfect albums, or songs, or pieces aren't what's stressing you out in the coming days.

Hope you enjoy these Hanukkah and Christmas favorites! Many thanks to Amy Edmonds and the Ball State University Library!


Catalog Number: 624284001555

Catalog Number: 8.554714

Catalog Number: TROY744 - Track 12

Catalog Number: 75442270972


Catalog Number: 5099991898258

And finally, a Festivus for the 'restofus!
Catalog Number: 3570-MCD - Track 11

Happy holiday listening,
The Naxos Family

200 To-Do Liszts

People have been talking about it all year.
"1811...2011...times 14, carry the 3...I'm pretty sure that was...THAT WAS 200 YEARS AGO!"

October 22 is a big birthday for a really big composer. One of those biggies that even people who aren't really into classical music know about. Most of my family isn't hep to classical music, but they know a few piano pieces, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, etc. when they hear them.

I expect lots of legit bloggers will weigh in with why they love/hate/do not deign to offer an opinion on Liszt. To me the best thing about these big anniversaries is that we have to revisit our opinions on composers. I listened to some of the late piano music just this morning (not always my cup of tea) to remember that Liszt was more than just kind of fancy and uppity in the 1991 film Impromptu.

But I'm really just here for the facts, ma'am. My hope is that you'll take the time to think about the work itself. Weigh it for yourself. They're your ears and you're in control of them.

Liszt was the son of a steward in the service of the Esterházy family, patrons of Haydn. He was born in 1811 at Raiding in Hungary and moved as a child to Vienna, where he took piano lessons from Czerny and composition lessons from Salieri. Two years later, in 1823, he moved with his family to Paris, from where he toured as a pianist. Influenced by the phenomenal violinist Paganini, he turned his attention to the development of a similar technique as a pianist and in 1835 left Paris with his mistress, the Comtesse d’Agoult, with whom he travelled widely during the following years, as his reputation as a pianist of astonishing powers grew. In 1844 he separated from his mistress, the mother of his three children, and in 1848 settled in Weimar as Director of Music Extraordinary, accompanied by Princess Sayn-Wittgenstein. He now turned his attention to composition and in particular to the creation of a new form: the symphonic poem. In 1861 Liszt moved to Rome, where he found expression for his long-held religious leanings. From 1869 he returned regularly to Weimar, where he had many pupils, and later he accepted similar obligations in Budapest, where he was regarded as a national hero. He died in Bayreuth in 1886, four years after the death of his son-in-law Wagner. As a pianist he had no equal, and as a composer he suggested to a younger generation of musicians the new course that music was to take.


Happy Liszt-ening!
(Sorry, I just couldn't help it!)

Mo

*Here's how I really like to think of Liszt (and his buddy Chopin): http://harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=302

Blue Note Records!

It is with great pleasure that we announce the entire Blue Note Records catalog is being uploaded to Naxos Music Library - Jazz! We've included a short description of the label, in case you're not familiar with the "ins and outs" of Blue Note.


If you're interested in more information on becoming an NML-Jazz subscriber - our contact information is below!

Blue Note Records, established in New York by German-born record executive Alfred Lion and art director Francis Wolff in 1939, is a renowned jazz label that has produced a number of legendary albums including John Coltrane’s “Blue Train” and other classic albums from iconic artists such as Herbie Hancock, Jackie McLean, Dexter Gordon, Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter and many others. The label is revered by jazz fans across the globe. Throughout the fifties and early sixties and continuing for the next five decades, Blue Note continues to discover and launch impressive talents to a new level.

Check out the September NML newsletter for more information!

Happy Listening!
The NML Team

Naxos of America, Inc.
615.465.3836 (direct)
Nick@NaxosUSA.com

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Sneak Preview: NML and CMS 2011

Will you be at CMS in Richmond this October? If so, be sure to look for our ad. on the back cover of the program book!

Naxos Music Library Adds EMI Classics Catalog

Good morning, music lovers!

It is with boundless pleasure that we announce that the complete EMI Classics catalogue is now available to NML and NML-Jazz institutional subscribers! This vast catalog of recordings includes EMI Classics, Virgin Classics, and Blue Note Records.

Today, more than 225 albums are available in NML with the remainder of the 7200 album catalog available by the end of 2011. More details will be available shortly. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all of the updates.

We hope you’re as excited as we are and look forward to many months of wonderful new music! These additions represent the first of many great things to come - so stay tuned for more updates as we near the end of 2011.

As always our ears and inboxes are open - so please feel free to drop us a line!

Happy historical listening!

Mo
nmlhelp@naxosusa.com

Rise Above the Noise!

We made this excellent infographic and I like it so much I wanted to share. Check it out!