Important basic sources
Oxford Music Online includes substantial articles authored by scholars, excellent works lists and bibliographies. Check " ii. Symphonie fantastique" of the "I. Individual Works" section of the bibliography to find important books and articles specifically on this composition.
Research guide:
ML134.B5 L3 1989 Langford, Jeffrey Alan. Hector Berlioz : a guide to research. New York : Garland, 1989.
Thematic catalog:
Holoman, D. Kern. Catalogue of the works of Hector Berlioz. Kassel ; New York : Bärenreiter, 1987.
Gesamtausgabe:
05 B455 B Berlioz, Hector. New edition of the complete works. Kassel : Bärenreiter, 1967-2005.
Volume 26 includes portraits of the composer.
There are numerous references to the Symphonie fantastique in the text of this Grove Music Online article and bibliographical references to books/articles about this musical work in the bibliography at the end of the Grove article. Check " ii. Symphonie fantastique" of the "I. Individual Works" section of the bibliography to find important books and articles specifically on this composition.
2. Search the Vassar Libraries' Online Catalog for books, particularly those listed in the Grove article's bibliography. If Vassar does not own them, try Interlibrary loan. If no call number appears for a book you would like and the status "1 copy being processed for Mus Book" is displayed, ask at the Music Library Circulation Desk.
By subject: "Symphonie fantastique" or "Fantastic, The, in music -- History -- 19th century" to find books about the composition such as:
ML3849 .B837 2017eb (online and in-print versions)
Brittan, Francesca. Music And Fantasy In The Age Of Berlioz.
Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2017.
By keyword: “Berlioz Symphonie fantastique" and modify your search by "printed material" to quickly search the contents notes of chapters of books that may be relevant.
3. Check these databases for articles, particularly those listed in the Grove article's bibliography. Music Periodical Index and JSTOR provide many full text articles. RILM Abstracts cites additional scholarly articles, but has only abstracts and no full text.
RILM Abstracts of Music Literature (1967-current)
Abstracts only, no full text, for items from 1967-present. RILM indexes more scholarly publications and is interdisciplinary in coverage. Indexes music periodicals, chapters of books, festchrifts and periodicals in related subjects.
Advanced search most useful. Allows for browsing types of documents, instruments, etc. to add to your search query.
To find full text of articles: check in Music Periodicals Database or JSTOR to see if either database contains the full text or check Vassar Libraries' Online Catalog to see if Vassar owns the print. If Vassar does not own the periodical, try Interlibrary loan.
Music Periodicals Database (Full-Text)
Full text for many--not all--articles. Indexes music periodicals only. Although there is overlap with RILM Abstracts, tends to cover the less scholarly, more popular titles.
JSTOR is not an index, but may be used to search texts of those 112 music journals that appear in JSTOR. JSTOR seems like an index for the journals it covers since it can be searched by keyword, but it does not allow you to search by subject.
Berlioz, Hector. New edition of the complete works. Kassel : Bärenreiter, 1967-2005.
Volume 26 includes portraits of the composer.
ArtSTOR Database: Images for Hector Berlioz.
