Don't forget --
*Have more than one significant form, e.g., symphon? = finds symphony, symphonie, symphonien, symphonic, symphonies.
*Have alternative spellings (type as much as you KNOW is correct!)., e.g. Stravinsky or Stravinski
To find a score or recording of a particular musical work in the Butler Libraries' online catalog, WorldCat, or Naxos Music Online, the following pieces of information will be helpful:
Composer’s [full] name:
Also, remember to consider alternate spellings for names that are derived from a language that uses a non-Roman alphabet, ex. Russian, Hebrew, Chinese, etc.
HINT: search like a librarian
Once you are in the catalog, you can use the linked version of a composer's name found in the author field (library term: "preferred name") to find a standardized search of everything by that composer.
Example: instead of searching J.S. Bach, you can search Johann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750 for more complete results (nearly twice as many!) because using the catalog's preferred name removes any ambiguity in variant spellings of a composer's name!
Composer’s preferred name (Search like a librarian!)
Once you are in the catalog, you can use the linked version of a composer's name found in the author field (library term: "preferred name") to find a standardized search of everything by that composer.
Example: instead of searching "J.S. Bach," you can search Johann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750 for more complete results (nearly twice as many!) because using the catalog's preferred name removes any ambiguity in variant spellings of a composer's name!
Title of the work in its original language
For example: Jeux d'eau (Fountains) / Ravel; Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) / R. Schumann.
Alternative titles or nicknames
For example: "Moonlight Sonata"/"Mondscheinsonate" (Piano Sonata no. 14 in C-sharp Minor, op. 27, no. 2) / Beethoven
You can find more info in A Dictionary of Music Titles by Adrian Room (REF ML 102 .T58 R6 2000). N.B. Searching only by a work's nickname may cause you to not find certain things. Not all publishers of scores or recordings use nicknames in the titles they provide.
Uniform Title (Search like a librarian!)
Instead of using "Moonlight Sonata" which would only return results using that nickname and published in English...
...use the uniform title that library catalogers have assigned to the piece, it is listed on the catalog record under "Uniform Title."
The Moonlight Sonata is known in the catalog as Sonatas, piano, no. 14, op. 27, no. 2, C♯ minor. Searching by Uniform Title (ut:Sonatas, piano, no. 14, op. 27, no. 2, C♯ minor) rather than by title (ti:Moonlight Sonata) will return more complete results.
Name of larger work from which piece comes (if applicable).
For example, a particular movement, such as "Clair de lune" ("Moonlight") from Suite bergamasque by Debussy.
Nationality of the composer. This can help determine the language of your search terms.
For example: piano = Klavier (German) = clavier (French, technically, "keyboard") = pianoforte (Italian) or sonata = Sonate (German) = sonate (French) = sonata (Italian) N.B. Klaviersonate (sing) and Klaviersonaten (pl.) are compound words in German
**For more info, consult: International Vocabulary of Music by Stephen Dembski et al (REF 108 .I49 1984)
Numbers associated with the work, such as sequence, opus, or thematic catalog numbers. Examples of some common thematic catalog numbers include:
**You can often find thematic catalog numbers using the Butler Libraries' catalog, WorldCat, or the "works" section at the end of composer entries in The New Grove Dictionary
Key signature.
Instrumentation (or original instrumentation of work).
Score format that you desire.
For example: full score or conductor's score, mini-score, vocal score, piano reduction
You can find these piece of information using various resources in the Library or on the Libraries' Website. Some of the most useful are:
Library Hours
Study Rooms
My Library Account
Library Website
