Seeley G. Mudd Library, Lawrence University

Seeley G. Mudd Library, Lawrence University

Why is finding music different?
Generic Titles (dealing with compositions called symphony, sonata, suite, concerto, etc.)
Distinctive Titles (dealing with operas, ballets and other uniquely titled items)
Collective Titles (dealing with items that might appear in a collection)
Uniform Title Qualifiers

Why is finding music different?

When we are searching for library materials, we usually do an author/title search. This works really well for books because their titles don’t often vary, but this is not the case with music. Music titles (remember in libraryland we are talking about the title as it appears on the item) often vary depending upon where the item was published or even the publisher’s wording preference. For example, different title pages of the same piano concerto by Mozart could appear in the catalog as:

Therefore a search in the catalog such as mozart and piano concerto no. 9 would only bring up the second item. If the library owns 1, 3, or 4, you would walk away frustrated that the library did not have Mozart’s ninth piano concerto. Even if a keyword search for "concerto and piano" was executed only 1 and 2 would be found.  To get around the variation in music titles, librarians assign a standardized title or uniform title to items to help the user. Each work has only one--so if you know this magic title, you can be certain that you are covering all bases in the catalog. Below is a record from the Library's catalog for a score to Mozart's ninth piano concerto. Note the title as it appears on the item and the uniform title provided by the librarian:

Author: Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791.
Uniform title: Concertos, piano, orchestra, K. 271, Eb major; arr.
Title: Konzert in Es für Klavier und Orchester KV 271 : 
Jeunehomme-Konzert = Concerto in E-flat major for piano and orchestra
Publisher: Kassel ; New York : Bärenreiter, c1990.

There are three kinds of uniform titles: generic, distinctive and collective.

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Generic Titles

or

Dealing with pieces called symphony, sonata, suite, concerto, etc.

For musical works whose titles are the names of forms or types of compositions (i.e. symphonies, suites, sonatas, concertos) the uniform title is  constructed hierarchically and consists of four elements in the following order:

Note how the above elements are combined to make the uniform titles for the following pieces:

Author: Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791.
Uniform title: Concertos, piano, orchestra, K. 271, Eb major
Title: Konzert in Es für Klavier und Orchester KV 271 

Author: Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827.
Uniform title: Symphonies, no. 5, op. 67, C minor
Title: Symphonie Nr. 5 in c-moll

Author: Shostakovich, Dmitrii Dmitrievich, 1906-1975.
Uniform title: Sonatas, violoncello, piano, op. 40
Title: Sonata for cello and piano, op. 40

As a searcher you don’t have to complete all 4 parts of the magic title.  The most effective way to search is simply to put in the first two elements of the UT. mozart and concertos piano would call up all items in the Library which pertain to  Mozart piano concertos. As a general rule, it is best to stay broad.  Here are some more search examples:

To locate Bach cello suites:
bach and suites violoncello

To locate a Beethoven piano sonata:
beethoven and sonatas piano

To locate a Bach violin partita:
bach and partitas violin

To locate Dvorak string quartet op. 81:
dvorak and quartets strings op 81 a major (or simply quartets strings)

To locate Tchaikovksy symphony no. 1:
tchaikovsky and symphonies no 1 op 13 (or simply symphonies)

Some other form names commonly used in uniform titles are: 

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Distinctive Titles

or

Dealing with operas, ballets and other uniquely titled items

Many compositions have distinctive titles-- a title totally unique to the specific work. Works that have distinctive titles include operas, oratorios, ballets, and many other types of vocal and stage works. For example, The Magic Flute, Rite of Spring, and Messiah are all distinctive titles of works.  Like generic form titles, distinctive titles are also assigned a uniform title to help the user. This is done because even distinctively titled pieces can be referred to in different ways. For example, title pages for scores to the Rite of Spring could conceivable read as any of the following:

 

 

A title search for Rite of Spring would only bring up the first item. If the library owned a French or Russian publication, you would not have located the item you need. You do not need to try all variations of a title, but simply use the uniform title. So how do you know which title is the uniform title? 

General Rule: The uniform title (for distinctive titles) is the title the composer gives to the composition in its original language. 

For Rite of Spring, this is actually the Russian title Vesna Sviashchennaia. A search stravinsky and vesna sviashchennaia is the only way to bring up all manifestations of the Rite of Spring in the library. Distinctive uniform titles are often in the same language used in the birthplace of the composer but not always. For example, Liszt has uniform titles in Hungarian, German, and French because he assigned titles to his manuscripts in all of these languages.

Some examples of distinctively titled works with their common English titles and corresponding uniform titles: 

Author: Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791.
Uniform title: Nozze di Figaro. German & Italian
Title: The marriage of Figaro = Le nozze di Figaro

Author: Puccini, Giacomo, 1858-1924.
Uniform title: Madama Butterfly. Vocal score. English & Italian
Title: Madam Butterfly : an opera in two acts : for soli, chorus and orchestra with English and Italian text

Author: Bartok, Bela, 1881-1945.
Uniform title: Kekszakallu herceg vara
Title: Bluebeard's castle, op. 11; complete opera.

Author: Lehar, Franz, 1870-1948.
Uniform title: Lustige Witwe. Vocal score. English
Title: The merry widow

Many instrumental compositions also have distinctive titles. Here a few examples of works and their corresponding uniform titles: 

English Title  Uniform Title
Brandenburg Concertos Brandenburgische Konzerte
Well-tempered Clavier Wohltemperierte Klavier
Hungarian Dances Ungarische Tänze 
Transcendental Etudes Etudes d'Exécution Transcendante

Note that although the Bach Brandenburgische Konzerte and Etudes d'Exécution Transcendante have a form in their title (concertos and etudes respectively) they are treated as distinctive titles and not as generic forms.  This is done because the addition of Brandenburg and transcendental make the titles of each distinctive. Whenever the name of a form or type of composition is modified with an adjective we treat the title as distinctive, and therefore, enter the titles in their original languages as the uniform title.

As a searcher you do need to know something about the original language of a work in order to search effectively but there is no need to panic. Cross-references are often found in the catalog, which will lead you from one possible title to the "correct" title in its original language. You could also try running a search using the title you know. You may get a hit or two. You can then look at the uniform title listed on the retrieved record and re-do your search using the uniform title to pull up all entries pertaining to the work.

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Collective Titles

Libraries own many editions and recordings that contain more than one composition by the same composer or by many composers. These items often get assigned collective titles and the above mentioned searches may or may not work depending on how many pieces are in a given collection. 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 particular work you want, and no cross reference will show you the proper heading to search. You sometimes need to be creative to find music. 

Form collective titles: consist of the form name, and - if necessary - the medium of performance, exactly like the beginning of a form-type uniform title for an individual work.

Some examples:


Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791. 
[Works] 
This is the complete works of Mozart. 

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791. 
[Piano music] 
This is all of the piano music written by Mozart. 

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791. 
[Quartets, strings] 
This is a collection of all of Mozart’s string quartets. 

Schubert, Franz, 1797-1828. 
[Songs] 
This is a collection of all of Schubert's songs. 

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Uniform Title Qualifiers

There are five different qualifiers that can be added to a UT. It is important to know what they mean. 

Selections: contains only part of what is stated. The following contains only some of Brahms' piano music. 

Brahms, Johannes, 1833-1897. 
[Piano music. Selections] 

arr.: (abbreviation for "arranged"). Always note this. It tells you that the music has been arranged or altered from the original intent of the composer; however, note that one of the most frequent uses of "arr." in uniform titles is with editions of works originally for instrumental soloist(s) and orchestra that have been arranged for performance with a keyboard instrument. 

Brahms, Johannes, 1833-1897. 
[Concertos, piano, orchestra, no. 1, op. 15, D minor; arr.] 

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

Bizet, Georges, 1838-1875. 
[Carmen. Vocal score]

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. 

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.) 

Bizet, Georges, 1838-1875. 
[Carmen. Libretto] 

Text or Texts: The edition includes the words of the composition only. 

Schubert, Franz, 1797-1828. 
[Songs. Texts] 

Language(s) of translation(s): 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. 

Bizet, Georges, 1838-1875. 
[Carmen. Vocal score. English] & French 

Bizet, Georges, 1838-1875. 
[Carmen. Libretto. English]

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This page last updated: 19-Sept-2003
Antoinette Powell, Music Librarian