The primary sources of a musical work can include the following:
Autograph / Holograph (the composer's own manuscript)
Copies (handwritten by a relative, student, colleague, or professional copyist; or, in the case of medieval works, by monastic scribes)
First edition (typically published in consultation with the composer)
Early editions (printed during the composer's lifetime)
Early editions (edited by a relative, student, or other person close to the composer, after the composer's death)
Scholarly editions (edited by a scholar or performer known for their knowledge / interpretation of the composer)
Collected editions (the composer's complete works, published in a scholarly edition that shows the variant readings (differences) in the above sources)
Learn more about primary sources and how to interpret them here.
See the library's Special Collections to discover primary source materials, including the papers of the following local composers:
To determine which primary sources survive for a specific work, consult the following research tools (click on each to see tips on how to use it):