Items relating to music in the Library Company of Philadelphia can be found in the books, graphics, and manuscripts collections. The focus of the music collection is on Americana with particular attention paid to Philadelphia.

In the 19th century, the development of lithography facilitated the production of affordable printed music and Philadelphia became a center for both music publishing and lithography. Many pieces of sheet music include illustrated covers depicting buildings, famous individuals, or genre scenes. Philadelphia retailers such as George Willig, Alexander Fiot, and the firm Lee & Walker sold sheet music by European and American composers, and their inventory is well-represented in our holdings. Sheet music was often simplified piano versions of the symphonies and operas heard in concert halls created for domestic use by amateur musicians. Dance music, including waltzes, polkas, and quicksteps arranged for piano, also proved popular in sheet music form. Our sheet music collection comprises approximately 17,000 pieces, ranging in date from the 18^th through the early 20^th centuries.

Songsheets form another strength of the music collection. Our approximately 3,000 mid-19^th century songsheets (text without musical notation meant to be sung to popular tunes) address issues such as race, ethnicity, love, disasters, and gender roles. Also, within the book collection researchers can find playbills for musical events, primarily in Philadelphia from the late 18^th through the post-Civil War era, and musical instruction manuals.

Important manuscript collections include the William Henry Fry (1813-1864) Collection containing lyrical tragedies, choral works, and orchestral and chamber music; a manuscript composition book including about eighty tunes by Black composer and Philadelphia bandleader Francis Johnson (1792-1844); and the Albert G. Emerick (1817- 1898) Collection of musical copy books containing transcriptions, arrangements, and original compositions by this Philadelphia music teacher and organist.

The Graphic Arts Collection includes images of musicians and musical groups, both amateur and professional, musical venues, and advertisements for musical goods suppliers with the emphasis on Philadelphia from the late 18^th through the early 20^th century.