One library for many collections
Musical sources tend to be scattered across many libraries and museums and are made available in different catalogs. Makarius overcomes this fragmentation – it creates a shared digital library in which digitized sheet music from several memory institutions is available in one place.
High resolution and a modern design make it easy to view scores page by page, browse smoothly and focus on the music rather than on operating the application.
Searching by melody and discovering connections
Machine processing of the scores gives Makarius capabilities that ordinary catalogs do not have. Users can enter a short melody in the search field and the system finds pieces that contain the motif or are melodically similar to it. This is essential for musicologists looking for variants of a motif or trying to identify an anonymous composition.
The search also recommends similar works. For a single score you can easily find other pieces that are melodically or harmonically similar and that you would otherwise have to discover manually.
A testing ground for the future of digital libraries
Makarius serves as a development platform for testing features and filters that may later enrich the wider Kramerius ecosystem. For example, smooth vertical scrolling through scores mimics working with a printed booklet and may inspire the presentation of other types of documents.
Likewise, filters by key, genre or orchestration show how digitized data can be enriched with musical metadata and made accessible in an intuitive way.
Benefits for researchers and the public
Makarius brings musical sources from the archives online and makes them easier to study and popularize. Musicologists gain a tool that allows them to:
- Identify works quickly – melody search reveals even anonymous pieces and variants of motifs.
- Discover related compositions – the system recommends works with a similar melodic or rhythmic structure.
- View scores without handling the originals – high resolution and smooth browsing replace work with the original, saving time and protecting the source.
For the wider public, Makarius is an inspiring collection that opens up musical heritage and helps people discover lesser-known pieces. Music lovers can browse extensive collections, search by their favourite motifs and view sheet music that used to be available only in specialized reading rooms.
Where it can be used
Makarius can be used, for example, in music archives, libraries, universities and special collections of music recordings. It helps protect musical heritage while opening up new ways to use it – from research and critical editions to inspiring today’s composers.
Do you have a collection of sheet music you would like to digitize or make available in a modern way? Get in touch and together we will build a custom digital library that turns archival scores into a living source of knowledge.
