PRINCIPLES OF MUSIC UNIFORM TITLES A Brief Introduction by Matthew W. Wise, Music Librarian, New York University Libraries use music uniform titles in their catalog records to uniquely identify and to collocate similar printed and recorded musical works by a composer. Music uniform titles are a device by which musical scores and recordings may be found more easily in a library's catalog. However, if they are to be employed effectively, music uniform titles must be understood by the user of the catalog. The following principles and examples should help you to familiarize yourself with the conventions and meanings of music uniform titles. For further clarification, please consult with a librarian. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - When the wording on the title pages or recording labels differs among various publications of the same music, a uniform title is needed to uniquely identify the piece of music and to allow all editions of it to be similarly searchable in the catalog. In the following examples, music uniform titles appear within [brackets] between the composer's name and the title as it appears on the score or recording (known as the "title proper"). Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. [Symphonies, no. 5, op. 67, C minor] Symphony no. 5, C minor, op. 67 Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. [Symphonies, no. 5, op. 67, C minor] Funfte Symphonie, op. 67 Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. [Symphonies, no. 5, op. 67, C minor] 5e symphonie en ut mineur Uniform titles are usually required for all musical forms (concerto, symphony, trio sonatas, etc.), genres (capriccio, nocturne, intermezzo, etc.), and chamber music combinations (trio, quartet, quintet, etc.). Rachmaninoff, Sergei, 1873-1943. [Concertos, piano, orchestra, no. 2, op. 18, C minor] Piano concerto no. 2 in C minor, op. 18 Chopin, Frederic, 1810-1849. [Waltzes, piano, op. 69. No. 2] Valse in B minor, op. 69, no. 2 Bartok Bela, 1881-1945. [Quartets, strings, no. 4] Streichquartett IV Respighi, Ottorino, 1879-1936. [Quintets, piano, strings, F minor] Quintetto in fa minore per pianoforte e archi Uniform titles may relect single works or collections of consecutively numbered similar works. The titles are always given in the plural, unless the composer has written only one work of that type. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix, 1809-1847. [Sonatas, clarinet, piano, Eb major] Sonate Es-dur fur Klarinette und Klavier Reger, Max, 1873-1916. [Sonatas, clarinet, piano, no. 1-3] Drei Sonaten fur Klarinette und Klavier Bernstein, Leonard, 1918- [Sonata, clarinet, piano] Sonata for clarinet and piano Instrumentation, serial numbers, opus numbers, thematic index numbers, quantitative numbers, keys, and composition dates are moved to subordinate positions in the uniform title, or are omitted. However, integral adjectives which were part of the composer's original title are retained at the beginning. Schoenberg, Arnold, 1874-1951. [Stucke, orchestra, op. 16] Funf Orchesterstucke, Opus 16 Kabalevsky, Dmitry Borisovich, 1904- [Little pieces, piano, op. 39] 24 little pieces, op. 39, for the piano Numbers appearing in the title which are not related serially or quantitatively to the work are retained in their original position. Uniform titles are usually unnecessary for such works. Erb, Donald, 1927- The seventh trumpet : for orchestra Bratu, Emma-Emilia, 1910- The ten commandments : social lyrical opera and ballet For non-generic or "distinctive" titles, the title in the original language is preferred. These may be found in the composer's worklist in the _New Grove Dictionary..._, the composer's thematic catalog, or other authoritative sources. Berlioz, Hector, 1803-1869. [Symphonie fantastique] Fantastic symphony Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolay, 1844-1908. [Zolotoi petushok] The golden cockerel Puccini, Giacomo, 1858-1924. [Fanciulla del West] The girl of the golden West For classical works with "popular" titles, the generic uniform title is preferred. Schubert, Franz, 1797-1828. [Quintets, piano, violin, viola, violoncello, double bass, D. 667, A major] Trout quintet for piano and strings, op. 114 Haydn, Joseph, 1732-1809. [Symphonies, H. I, 103, Eb major] The "drum roll" symphony Separate parts of larger works are hierarchically identified through uniform titles. Handel, George Frideric, 1685-1759. [Messiah. Hellelujah] Hallelujah chorus, from The Messiah Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883. [Meistersinger von Nurnberg. Vorspiel] Prelude to the Mastersingers of Nuremburg Barber, Samuel, 1910- [Quartets, strings, no. 1, op. 11, B minor. Adagio; arr.] Adagio for strings Arrangements for different instrumentations are related to their original formats through uniform titles. Rossini, Gioacchino, 1792-1868. [Guillaume Tell. Ouverture; arr.] William Tell overture : transcribed for military band Copland, Aaron, 1900- [Sonatas, violin, piano; arr.] Sonata for clarinet and piano Full scores, vocal scores, librettos, and translations are hierarchically identified through uniform titles. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791. Die Zauberflote : opera, K. 620 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791. [Zauberflote. Vocal score] Die Zauberflote : Klavierauszug Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791. [Zauberflote. Vocal score. Italian & German] Die Zauberflote...mit Ubersetzung ins Italienische Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791. [Zauberflote. Libretto. English] The magic flute : libretto Complete works, miscellaneous collections, complete collections of a specific type, and selective collections of a specific type are uniquely identified through uniform titles. Brahms, Johannes, 1833-1897. [Works] Samtliche Werke Brahms, Johannes, 1833-1897. [Selections] Opus 23, opus 24, opus 18, opus 90 Brahms, Johannes, 1833-1897. [Piano music] Klavierwerke Brahms, Johannes, 1833-1897. [Piano music. Selections] Complete sonatas and variations for solo piano Works produced by religious bodies are identified through uniform titles. Catholic Church. [Antiphonary (Silos)] Antiphonale silense Catholic Church. [Missal (Pre-Vatican II)] Missale notatum Strigoniense ante 1341 in Posonio Individual works of unknown, diffuse, or collective authorship are identified through their distinctive titles. Rusconi codex. Bologna, Civico museo bibliografico musicale, MS. Q19 Taffel Consort. Selections. Nine dances from Taffel Consort Manuscripts which cannot be identified through the use of any of the previously described types of uniform titles (i.e. generic or distinctive titles) are identified through the authorized name forms of their repositories, followed by the term "Manuscript" and their alpha-numeric designations. Bibliotheque nationale (France). Manuscript. Reserve 1122. Pieces pour virginal 1646-1654 : fac-simile du manuscrit British Library. Manuscript. Additional 29369. Add. ms. 29369 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Note: These principles have been liberally derived from the _Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules_ (2nd ed., 1988 rev.), Chapter 25. Also, the examples are lacking appropriate diacritics. Copyright (c) 1995 -- Matthew W. Wise Matthew W. Wise __|)___________________________ Music Cataloger __|/___________________York____ New York University /_|_______________New__________ (212) 998-2485 (_(|__)______York_______________ WiseM@Elmer1.Bobst.NYU.edu \_|_/__New_____________________ |