[ Phil Procter wrote: ]

> Has anyone ever compiled an computer database of tune titles used
> on musical boxes?  What I am after is something to quickly tell me
> by who the tune was composed and more, importantly, in what year.

Phil, Wouldn't that be handy!  There is no definitive list of this sort
that I am aware of.  Several articles have been written in the musical
box journals that speak about the more popular tunes on musical boxes,
but the list is short.

There are three books that list tune titles, composers and publication
dates _and_ the melody line.  Two of these, 'A Dictionary of Musical
Themes' and 'A Dictionary of Vocal (or Opera) Themes', by Barlow and
Morgenstern, show the melody line in musical notation in the treble
clef, thus it will help to know music.

A third, the 'Dictionary of Tunes and Musical Themes', by Denys Parsons,
does the same but shows the melody as a series of 'ups' and 'downs'
rather than using musical notation.  A melody may be indicated as:
*URUDU DRDUD DRU (Sullivan's Yeoman of the Guard) where * [asterisk]
is the first note and R is a repeated note.

These books are available at used book stores and online.  (I have
copies of Barlow & Morgenstern's books available on my web site).
Parson's book is quite scarce.

Musically yours,

Bill Wineburgh
http://members.aol.com/WWineburgh/