The MSM Library: Tips for Using the Catalog

Many musical works have titles that actually are the names of forms or types of compositions ("sonatas," "concertos," "symphonies," and so forth). In these cases, the name of the form of the work is used as the first word of the preferred title. In the introductory Beethoven symphony examples you saw that each preferred title began with the word "Symphonies":

Some other form names commonly used in preferred titles are:

Following the name of the form in the preferred title come the names of the instruments (or voices) that perform the work:

Sometimes the medium of performance is implied by the name of the form. For example, "Symphonies" implies performance by an orchestra; "Songs" implies performance by a solo voice with keyboard accompaniment. In such cases the names of the performing instruments or voices are omitted from the preferred title: 

After the name of the form and the medium of performance (if necessary), appropriate number(s) and key (tonality) are added as required to identify the individual composition, and to complete the preferred title. The numbering may be sequential ("Symphonies, no. 3"), or may be a number scheme particularly associated with the works of the composer.

Remember: Form, instrument(s)/voice(s), number, key 

Note: In the final example it is unnecessary to name the orchestra as the performing ensemble, because it is implied by the name of the form, "Symphonies".

Warning! Some compositions in this category are also known by popular, descriptive names, like Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata for piano, or Haydn's "Surprise" symphony. Such as name is not used in a preferred title unless it is the composer's own, original title for the work (e.g., Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique). If by error you search under a popular title, you will retrieve only those editions for which the popular title actually is printed on the publication. Other editions that omit the popular title, or print it in a different language, will not be found.

This is one reason why we always advise you to search for music by the composer's name, then scroll down the list of titles. Within the list of titles (what librarians call a "browse list"), you will usually find a cross reference from popular or variant titles that will lead you to the correct preferred title, as in the following examples:

To repeat, the order of elements in a form-type preferred title is:

Name of the key signature is omitted if the tonality of the work is ambiguous.

When a composer gives a composition a title that is not the name of a musical form, that non-form, or distinctive title, in its original language, is used as the preferred title. Works that have distinctive titles include operas, oratorios, ballets, and many other types of vocal and stage works. Here are some well-known examples from the dramatic repertoire: 

(Note that for practical reasons--we do not have Cyrillic keyboards--in the Stravinsky example the Cyrillic alphabet has been transcribed into the Latin one.)

Many instrumental compositions also have titles. For example:

Note that although the Bach Brandenburgische Konzerte are "concertos," and Stravinsky's Symphonies d'instruments à vent are "symphonies," these titles were originally used by the composers as distinctive titles. These titles, therefore, are used in their original languages as the preferred titles. 

You can see that it is helpful to know something about the original language of a work. But don't worry! Cross references will frequently be found in the catalog, leading you from commonly known nicknames, or titles in other languages (including English), to the "correct" title in its original language as we have established it in the catalog. For example: 

Sometimes a single movement or section of a larger work is published or recorded separately from the whole composition. For example, the "Hallelujah chorus" from Handel's oratorio Messiah may be published separately for performance by a church choir; or the movement "Claire de lune" from Debussy's Suite bergamasque for piano is often performed separately. In a preferred title for such separately published or recorded movements, the entire work is named first, and then the part is named. 

Note how this makes titles fall nicely in an alphabetical list:

Again, you will find many cross references in the catalog leading you to the correct preferred title entry for separately published or recorded parts of larger works. It is very important to remember that this kind of cross reference occurs only when the library owns the movement as a separately published edition, or a separately recorded excerpt. For example: 

The library owns many editions and recordings that contain more than one composition by the same composer. Often, a particular composition that you want will be available only in such a collection. For example, several of the sonatas for piano by Beethoven will be found only in collections containing all thirty-two of his sonatas. In this and similar instances, the catalog will not list the individual work you want, and no cross reference will show you the proper heading to search. You must use a bit of imagination to find a collection that contains the piece you want.

For any one composer, there may be as many as three kinds of collections containing his or her works, and each of these kinds of collections also has its own kind of collective preferred title:

A fourth category of collection contains works by more than one composer. Such collections often, but not always, are cross indexed in the catalog from the names of individual composers or compositions. 

Each of these is considered in turn below.

Collections containing works all of the same form or type (all symphonies, or sonatas, or variations, etc.)

Form collective titles consist of the form name, and—if necessary—the medium of performance, exactly like the beginning of a form-type preferred title for an individual work. Remember that these works do not all have to be for the same performance medium. Examples: 

Collections containing works all for the same medium of performance (all piano, or orchestra, or string quartets, etc.), but in various forms

Performance medium collective titles consist of the name of the performance medium, followed by "music." The performance medium can be specific ("Piano music," Orchestra music," etc.), or broad ("Keyboard music" if the collection includes both harpsichord and piano music, "Vocal music" if the collection includes both songs and duets, etc.). Examples: 

For collective preferred titles, remember that form always takes precedence over performance medium. That is, if a collection contains works

the preferred title will always be based on the form.

Collections containing both vocal and instrumental music, and various forms

Some collections of a composer's works contain both instrumental and vocal music in various forms. Most often such a collection will contain all of the composer's works, will consist of several volumes, and will be intended primarily for scholarly study rather than for use in performance. Nevertheless, it sometimes happens that the composition you want is available only in such a collection. 

The collective preferred title for collections of a composer's complete works consists of the single word "Works." Two examples: 

The collection of a composer's complete works usually consists of many volumes, and the title pages and contents pages often are in a foreign language. If you suspect that the composition you want can be found only in such a collection, you may want to ask a reference librarian to help you locate the particular volume and pages that you need.

Any kind of preferred title (form, distinctive, or collective) may have qualifiers added at the end in order to distinguish one kind of edition from another. Five qualifiers are encountered frequently in the catalog. If more than one is used, they appear in the following order:

"Vocal score"
For a work originally composed for voice(s) and instrumental ensemble (usually an orchestra), the music for accompanying instruments is arranged for a keyboard instrument. Commonly used for editions of operas, oratorios, etc., intended for study and rehearsal use by the singers. 

Used for an edition of the complete music of the opera, but with the orchestra music arranged for piano. 

"Chorus score"
Similar to "Vocal score," but only the chorus parts (no solo voices) are printed, and the accompaniment is arranged for piano, or is omitted entirely. 

Used for an edition that prints only the chorus music for this work originally composed for tenor solo, chorus, and orchestra. 

"Libretto"
The edition includes only the words of a large vocal work such as a opera or oratorio (i.e., the music is not printed).

Used for a book that includes the words only of the opera. 

"Text" or "Texts"
The edition includes the words only of smaller vocal works, such as a song, song cycle, or song collection. 

Used for a book that contains the words only of all the songs of Schubert. 

Language(s) of translation(s)
The name(s) of the language(s) is/are added for an edition of a vocal work that includes a translation of the text to a language other than the original one. If this element isn't present, you can assume the work is in its original language.

Used for an edition for voices and piano of the complete opera, with text in the original French, and an English translation provided.

Used for a book containing only the text of the complete opera in English translation, without the original French text. 

"Selections"
This indicates that the edition or recording contains only a portion of the work(s) described in the first part of the preferred title.

 Used for a collection of three or more solo piano works by Beethoven, in various forms, but not including all of the piano works. 

Used for a collection of three or more songs form the sixteen-song cycle Dichterliebe, but not containing the complete cycle. 

"arranged" (sometimes abbreviated as "arr.")
The music has been arranged for a different medium of performance, or a different purpose than originally intended by the composer. One of the most frequent uses of "arr." in preferred titles is with editions of works for instrumental soloist(s) and orchestra, with the orchestral accompaniment arranged for a keyboard instrument. 

Used for an edition for solo piano with orchestra arranged for accompanying piano. 

Used for an edition for other than piano of Joplin's ragtime piano work.

That's it!

Now that you've got a basic understanding of how the catalog is organized, try doing a composer search. Scroll down the list of titles; you'll find it all suddenly makes a lot more sense.

Three tips:

Songs

To do a thorough search for individual songs or arias, many of which are buried in anthologies and collections, several separate searches may be necessary:

Remember, the librarians are always happy to answer any questions you may have.

Happy hunting!