Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart

The Biographical Encyclopedia comprising 17 volumes (plus one index volume) contains more than 18.000 entries, including over 9.000 composers, more than 2,000 singers and instrumentalists, and more than 1.000 on theorists. Many of these entries are on non-western composers, performers and writers, and more than 500 are on figures from Jazz and popular music. There are also over 500 entries on philosophers and literary figures, not to mention more than 5.000 on instrument makers, publishers, musicologists, writers, librettists and visual artists. Many appear for the first time in a work of reference.

The Biographical Encyclopedia is the work of more than 2.000 scholars from 55 countries across the globe. All are internationally recognized authorities in their field. Equally unique are the discussions of subjects touching on music, including history, art, literature, philosophy, law and the natural sciences.