Online Resources

The Library of Congress provides online access to a wide variety of digital collections in many formats, including scores, sheet music, event videos, and historic audio recordings. In addition, subject specialists provide context and insight into the diverse and unique collections at the Library through the Music Division's blog In the Muse. This page also provides materials and links to the Hispanic Reading Room's Country Guides to help you expand your research.

J.M. Paredes, arranger. Mexican National Hymn. 1874. Library of Congress Music Division.

Antonio Olague, composer. Cloe; Danza. 1885. Library of Congress Music Division.

José Rocca, composer. Danzas Cubanas. 1847. Library of Congress Music Division.

Tomas Ruiz. El Tratado; Danza. 1885. Library of Congress Music Division.

Library of Congress Online Resources

Explore music by Latin American composers and songwriters through a variety of the Library's free online resources.

The Music Division's blog In the Muse contains years of blog posts about Latin American composers and related items in our collections. Here are a few to get you started:

The 12-Tone World of Claudio Spies
May 15, 2020 guest blog post by Pam Murrell
Chucho Valdés in Conversation
April 27, 2020 blog post by Claudio Morales
Goodwill and Ballet: The Story behind the Original Score to Ginastera’s Estancia
May 30, 2019 guest blog post by K. Mitchell Snow
Latin Americans We've Commissioned: Part 1
September 24, 2019 blog post by Melissa Wertheimer in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month
Latin Americans We've Commissioned: Part 2
October 2, 2019 blog post by Melissa Wertheimer in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month
Let’s Mambo!: Machito and His Afro-Cubans
March 24, 2020 guest blog post by Jane Cross
Remembering Mario Davidovsky
August 26, 2019 blog post by Melissa Wertheimer
Sheet Music Spotlight: Augustin Cortada
October 3, 2017 blog post by Pat Padua
Tania León: The Uncommon Woman
November 18, 2019 guest blog post by HNIP intern Melinda Gonzalez
¡Feliz Cumpleaños Paquito D’Rivera!
June 8, 2010 blog post by Pat Padua

Explore digitized scores from the Music Division's holdings, archived web content, photographs of Latin American composers, and more.

Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, Ca. 1870 to 1885
Consists of over 47,000 pieces of sheet music registered for copyright during the years 1870 to 1885. Includes music by Latin American composers J.M. Paredes, Jose Rocca, Jaime Nuno, Tomas Ruiz, and Antonio Olague.
LC Commissioned Composers Web Archive
This collection contains websites of composers who have been commissioned by Music Division funds. Latin American composers represented in this digital collection include Pablo Furman (Argentinian), Paquito D'Rivera (Cuban-American), Agustín Fernández (Bolivian), Felipe Lara (Brazilian-American), Tania León (Cuban-American), Aurelio de la Vega (Cuban-American), Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez (Mexican-American), Roberto Sierra (Puerto Rican), and more!
Aaron Copland Collection
Items digitized from the Aaron Copland Collection illustrate Copland's relationships with prominent Latin American composers through photographs of Carlos Chávez and Domingo Santa Cruz, as well as photographs of Copland's travels in Mexico and Peru.
Leonard Bernstein Collection
Items digitized from the Leonard Bernstein Collection include photographs that illustrate Bernstein's relationships with Latin American composers such as Eleazar de Carvalho and musical tours in Peru and Venezuela.
William P. Gottlieb Collection
Explore digitized photographs by William P. Gottlieb of Machito performing live in New York City in the 1940s
The Moldenhauer Archives
Includes an article by Cuban-American composer Aurelio de la Vega about his work The Magic Labyrinth and an image of the hand-colored score.

Explore videos of performances and pre-concert conversations featuring Latin American composers. Concert webcasts get added to the digital collection Concerts from the Library of Congress. Learn about upcoming concerts on the Library of Congress Concert Series webpage.

Paquito D'Rivera Ensemble, May 31, 2002
This Library of Congress Concert from May 31, 2002 features the world premiere of Fiddle Dreams for violin and piano by Paquito D'Rivera commissioned by the McKim Fund in the Library of Congress.
Jazz Conversation: Argentine Pianist and Composer Guillermo Klein
Argentine pianist and composer Guillermo Klein talks with Library of Congress music specialist Larry Appelbaum on February 29, 2008.
Celebration of Machito: Mario Grillo
On June 1, 2015, Machito's son, Mario Grillo, donated Machito's handwritten scores and arrangements to the Library of Congress. Grillo discusses his father's contributions to American music.
Aaron Diehl, Piano
Composer and pianist Aaron Diehl's recital at the Library of Congress on March 23, 2019 included the solo piano work Six Cuban Dances by Cuban composer-pianist Ignacio Cervantes (1847-1905)
Tambuco Percussion Ensemble
Eight videos by Grammy-nominated Mexico City-based Tambuco Percussion Ensemble, including a concert, technique videos, and pre-concert conversation from October 30, 2020.
Conversation with Igor Santos
On November 13, 2020, Brazilian-American composer Igor Santos discussed his new work, "confined. speak." with the Library's Claudia Morales and David Plylar. The work was commissioned by the McKim Fund in the Library of Congress and written for members of Ensemble Dal Niente, violinist Minhuan Xu and pianist Winston Choi.
Dal Niente: Conversation with the Artists
On November 13, 2020, members of Ensemble Dal Niente speak with Claudia Morales and David Plylar of the Library of Congress about their virtual performance for the Library. Composers whose music is discussed include Igor Santos (Brazilian-American composer), Nur Slim (Mexican composer), Hilda Paredes (Mexican-British composer), Tomas Gueglio (Argentinian composer), Luis Amaya (Mexican composer), and Tánia León (Cuban-American composer).
Dal Niente: Conversations with the Composers
On November 13, 2020, members of Ensemble Dal Niente asked composers featured in their program to talk about their pieces. Composer Tomás Gueglio discusses his piece "Lamarque Songs," a nostalgic and personal piece inspired by his mother and grandmother. Composer Hilda Paredes discusses her harp concerto "Demente Cuerda," which, in her words is a dialogue between the harp and the ensemble. Composer Luis Fernando Amaya talks about his piece "Tinta Roja, Tinta Negra," directly inspired by the wisdom of the Aztec civilization. Musician, songwriter, and composer Nur Slim describes the creative process behind her composition "Humming Between Branches." Finally, composer Tánia León discusses her work "De Memorias," dedicated to her teacher Alfredo Diez Nieto and inspired by her memories of the warmth and exuberance of her native Havana, Cuba.

Enjoy recordings of compositions by Latin American composers that premiered here at the Library of Congress!

Cygnus Ensemble Premieres Mario Davidovsky's 'Ladino Songs' External
On Mar. 7, 2012, the Cygnus Ensemble and soprano Elizabeth Farnum gave the world premiere performance of Mario Davidovsky's Ladino Songs in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Library of Congress.
In 2015, the Library began a collaboration with Q2 Music to make select recordings of recent Library commissions, co-commissions, and premieres available for on-demand streaming.
Gabriela Lena Frank's 'My angel, his name is freedom' External
World premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s 'My angel, his name is freedom' as performed by the period-instrument ensemble Handel and Haydn Society live at the Library of Congress on Feb. 20, 2016.
In 2015, the Library began a collaboration with Q2 Music to make select recordings of recent Library commissions, co-commissions, and premieres available for on-demand streaming.
Beax Arts Trio
Daniel Hope (violin) and Menahem Pressler (piano) of the Beax Arts Trio perform Fiddle Dreams by Paquito D'Rivera at the Library of Congress on April 8-9, 2003.

Hispanic Reading Room Country Guides

The Library of Congress Hispanic Reading Room is a rich resource for users who wish to learn more about the countries and cultures of Latin America. Here are links to individual research guides by country created by subject specialists in the Latin American, Caribbean, and European Division.

Latin American Composers: A Guide to Resources at the Library of Congress

Performing Arts: Ask a Librarian