Since 1952, the library's collection profile has expanded to include legal deposit copies of sheet music, marking the foundation of our special music collection.
Today, the music library comprises nearly 100,000 items. In addition to newly published scores—thanks to the collecting efforts of Professor János Hankiss—it includes a collection of rare, old sheet music published in the 19th and early 20th centuries, featuring first editions of major works by great composers. Our early 19th-century sheet music, printed on handmade paper using lithographic techniques, holds museum value, as do the musical works published by the Rózsavölgyi Publishing House in the second half of the 1800s. The documents from the estate of conductor György Gulyás are also managed as a protected collection.
Over the decades (since 1956), the library has enriched its music collection with valuable foreign and domestic audio recordings, and since 1987, the Music Department has also received legal deposit copies of Hungarian audio releases. Currently, our audio archive holds nearly 30,000 items.
The Media Library's collection spans a wide range of data storage formats, from 100-year-old gramophone records, reel-to-reel tapes, and audio cassettes to VHS tapes, CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. The audio and video materials are complemented by a rich selection of literature on music and cinematography.
Contact Information
The collection is located in the Life and Sciences Library. The majority of the holdings are already searchable online or can be found in the card catalog.
A library membership is required to use or borrow items from the collection.
If the requested document cannot be found in our online catalog, please consult the card catalog or ask our staff for assistance. Part of the sheet music collection and audio recordings (vinyl records, pre-recorded cassettes, and audio CDs) are available for loan. However, Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and the VHS collection are restricted to on-site use only, and can be viewed in the Video Room during opening hours.
Information & Inquiries
Miklós Grégász
Musicology
+36 52 518 600 / ext. 22084
Life Sciences Library, 1st Floor, Room 1.006