Singers' and Choral Directors' Bible

The WorldCat Discovery Search Box provides access to various types of resources (including books, scores, recordings, videos, journal subscription and holdings information, and even select journal articles available from the Butler Libraries and beyond!   You can also find search bar on the Butler Libraries' homepage (http://www.butler.edu/library/).

You can use the basic search box or click on the "Advanced Search" link right below it. 

The Search Box:

• Allows use of Boolean operators:  or, not  ("and" is automatic!)
• Searches multiple fields of the individual bibliographic records (material descriptions) simultaneously.
• Allows truncation (shortening to root or base) of terms (?, *, etc. = truncation symbols)

Remember! -- think of as many different possible titles of a work as you can!

For example, The Marriage of Figaro might be Le Nozze di Figaro or Die Hochzeit des Figaro (for this title, you might also note particularly distinctive words, such as "Figaro.");

Die Zauberflöte is also known as The Magic Flute.  Haydn's "A Pastorale" is also known as "My Mother Bids Me Bind My Hair."

Also -- think of as many identifying elements as you can!

For example, thematic catalog number [e.g., "BWV" = "Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis no. " (Bach), "K." = "Köchel no." (Mozart), "D." = "Deutsch no." (Schubert), "R" = Ryom no. (Vivaldi)], key, opus number, type of genre, instrumentation (and names for that genre or instrumentation/voicing in appropriate foreign languages.

• Edition = Ausgabe (Ger.)
• Piano (Eng., Fr., Sp.) = Klavier (Ger.) = pianoforte (It.)
• Piano edition (reduction)/piano-vocal score = Klavierauszug (Ger.)
• Symphony (Eng. = symphonie (Fr., Ger.) = sinfonia (It.) = Sinfonía (Sp.)
• High voice = Hohe Stimme = voix elevée OR voix aiguë
• Medium voice = Mittlere Stimme (Ger.) = voix moyenne (Fr.)
• Low voice = Tiefere Stimme (Ger.) = voix grave (Fr.)
• Choir (Eng.) = chœur (Fr.) = coro (It.) = Chor (Ger.) - coro (Sp.) 

If you are singing an aria from an opera, cantata, or oratorio, make sure you know (or find out!) the name of the larger work from which the aria is excerpted; if you are singing a musical theatre song, it is helpful to know from which musical the song comes!  Some arias and songs will be available ONLY in a complete score of the larger work!

Always know the names of the composers of the pieces you are working on/seeking!

N.B., use quotes around exact phrases when searching the Butler Libraries' catalog!

**To find a recording of "Se tu m'ami" :

"se tu mami" [and when you get the results list, select format limiter "Music" or "CD"]

**To find a video of Renee Fleming singing Dvorak's Rusalka, type:

fleming rusalka [and when you get the results list, select format limiter "Video" or "DVD"]