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Music Searching Tutorial: Part 4: Title Search

Music Uniform Titles

Music Uniform Title: a standardized title used in library catalogs

Musical titles are complicated because they can use foreign languages and spellings or because they use generic forms in the titles (i.e. symphony, sonata, concerto, etc.). Libraries have devised a system using a uniform title (a unique title) for each piece of music. Although uniform titles are only used in library catalogs, understanding the complexities of music titles can also help as you search other online resources.

There are three types of uniform titles which will be discussed in the sections below. Musical compositions can often have multiple sections which with section titles which is discussed in the 4th section. The discussions concludes with practice exercises and answers.

Part 3A: Distinctive Music Title: a unique name given by the composer.

Part 3B: Form Music Title: generic forms (symphonies, sonatas, concertos, quartets, etc.) and can include numbers (opus #, catalog numbers #, i.e. BWV, Kochel, Hoboken, etc.) and keys (A minor, G major, etc.).

Part 3C: Collective Music Title: These are generic forms titles that are used when the score or sound recording is a collection of pieces.

Part 3D: Titles for Sections of a Work: many works are grouping of sections, arias, or portions of a work which also have their own title

Part 3A: Distinctive Uniform Titles

A Distinctive Uniform Title is a unique name given by the composer. Most commonly these will be operas and ballets, but can include other types of compositions where the composers gave a specific title which is more than a simple form, instrumentation and key.

Step 1 - Do a search using the terms you know

The best and easiest source for finding a musical score, sound recording, and video is by searching GIL on the online library catalog found on the Library Home page. The default search is Multi-Search so use the menu to select Books & More.

Example 1 Search Terms for a Distinctive title: mozart magic flute

 Step 2 - Review search results and select individual record(s) which you are considering

Review results and limit by Format as desired. The information for each entry can also provide clues to the which records to look in more detail. The title, the call number may be helpful information.

Example 2 Search Results: mozart magic flute

 Step 3 - Look at the 'Details' section of an individual record

When looking at an individual record scroll down to the Details of the individual record. The three fields to look for are the Uniform Title, the Includes and the Contents. Each record is a little different so not all three fields appear in every record.

  • The Uniform Title field and the Includes field provide the composition title, or uniform title, used by the library.
  • The Contents can also provide information on want is included in the score or audio recording as it taken directly from the item and is not formatted as a uniform title.

Example 3 Individual Record Details:  mozart magic flute 

There is a Uniform title field with Zauberflote and and Includes field also with Zauberflote -- a distinctive type of uniform title (a unique title given by the composer). 

Step 4 - Do an Advanced Search using alternate multiple spellings for the same work

The search examples so far have started with a basic search (1 search box) in the online catalog. With more information on the potential terms used the magic flute, the advanced search, which has multiple search boxes, can be used to do a more exhaustive search. Change from a Basic search with 1 box to an Advanced search with multiple boxes by using the the link under the search box on the library home page or the link next to the basic search box when in the online catalog.

Mozart can be placed in the first line and "magic flute" OR zauberfltote can be used in the second. 

Name/Title Advanced Search Example: mozart AND ("magic flute" OR zauberflote)

 

Using the Advanced Search and combining the various title terms you have identified can increase your results giving you a more complete idea of what is actually available.

Search Terms           Results
mozart AND magic flute 771
mozart AND zauberflote 1497 Number doubles searching the 'official' title used by library
mozart AND ("magic flute OR zauberflote) 1686 Using both terms connected by OR returns 200 more results

Part 3B Form Uniform Titles

Step 1 - Do a search using the terms you know

Form music titles are exactly what you would think--a musical form. The titles have some or all these elements: form + instrument(s) + key + number

As stated, all 4 elements do not need to be part of a form title. For example, with a symphony is written or an orchestra and all the instruments are not listed, but for an octet the instruments would be included. The form search we will look at is a search for Mozart's 40th symphony

Form Search Example : mozart symphony 40

Step 2 - Review results list and look at individual record(s)

From the list of results you can gather some very general information (citation, call number, library location, etc.), but the individual records will provide detailed information. The results list may be long and you can limit by Format by selecting one of the options (score, audio, book, etc.) from the Format menu on the left. 

Example 2 Search Results : mozart symphony 40

Step 3 - Look at the 'Details' section of an individual record

Scroll down to the Details of the individual record. The three fields to look for are the Uniform Title, the Includes and the Contents. Each record is a little different so not all three fields appear in every record.

The Uniform Title field and the Includes field provide the composition title, or uniform title, used by the library.

  • The Uniform Title (Symphonies. Selections) is an example of a Collective Uniform Title which does not specifically identify Mozart's 40th symphony. Collective titles are common with music will be discussed in the next section.
  • The Includes fields which provides the uniform titles for all works on this recording  for symphony no. 40--Symphonies, K. 550, G minor--which is form title (contains the form, often the instrument(s), numbers, and key).

The Contents field provided information on want is included in the score or audio recording but are not formatted as a uniform title. In this example the Contents field has Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550 which may help you if you didn't know that K 550 was also symphony no. 40.

Example 2 Individual Record Details: mozart symphony 40

Observation: Searching for numbers in a keyword search results in a number of false results. If you look at all the records in the search for mozart symphony 40 you would see that the number 40 is often no where near the work symphony.  The records may have a variety of number from other pieces by other composers, page numbers, etc. 

This search could be expanded by doing the advanced search mozart AND symphony AND (40 OR 550). Although the number would increase greatly the number of false results is extremely high.
The best search for a form title is to use the Uniform title and use the form, number, key, etc. in your search.


 

Review of  Search Steps for Pieces of Music

Review of  Search Steps

Step 1 - Do a basic search in the Online Catalog by typing the terms you know

Step 2 - Review results list and look at individual record(s)

  • Limit by format (book, score, audio, video, etc.) to view the type(s) of items you want

Step 3 - Look at the 'Details' section of an individual record

  • Look for at the Uniform title and Includes fields to find the 'official' title used in the catalog
  • Look at the Contents, Summary, and Physical Description fields for more information about the item

Step 4 - Other things to know about uniform titles: The whole and its parts

 

Continue to Part 3: Sample Search This next section of the guide provides information on how to search using the composers name and keywords from the composition titles in order to find the items you need. 

Part 3C: Collective Music Title

Collective Uniform Titles

Many score collections and sound recordings contain multiple musical pieces and will have a Collective Uniform Title such as the above example with Mozart's Symphonies. When searching for a specific piece you will come across Collective titles and should have an understanding of how to look at the detailed record and interpret what you see.

Another example of collective titles is found when search for Chopin's Polonaise in F sharp minor, op. 44

  • The Uniform Title for this collection of Chopin piano music is Piano Music. Selections. as it is not his complete piano music
  • The Includes fields provides additional Collective tiles: Nocturnes, piano. and Polonaises, piano. The nocturnes and polonaises are complete so the title does not say Selections.
  • The Contents field does give as listing of individual titles that are not formatted as Uniform titles.

Collective Title search Example search terms: chopin polonaise  F sharp minor 44

The Mozart example and the Chopin example demonstrate that Collective titles may be by 1. Form (Symphonies), 2. Instrument (Piano Music), or a mix of the two (Nocturnes, piano ; Polonaises, piano).

Note: Many words are highlighted in the Contents note ( Op., sharp, 44, minor, F), but these there is only one place in record where all the terms come together to identify the title begin searched. A great example how searching form titles can return false results. 

Part 3D: Sections of a Work

Other things to know about uniform titles: The whole and its parts

Going back to our search of Mozart's Magic Flute or Zauberflote the total results 1679 items--with 139 scores and 1293 sound recordings. Most of the scores are only portions of the work and arrangements and the majority of sound recordings are of selections or include a single aria. 

Example 1 Advanced Search Terms: (box 1) mozart AND (box 2) "magic flute" OR zauberflote

How do you determine the contents of each score and sound recording?

Although the brief record that shows in the list of results give you some clues about the score score or sound recording, you will have to look at the individual record to determine if the score or sound recording has the entire piece, the aria you are looking for, or the instrumentation that you want.

When looking at the detailed record make sure to look at the Uniform Title, the  Includes field(s) and the Contents field.

Here are some example uniform titles and includes fields which would appear in the search results for Zauberflote.

  • Zauberflöte. (the complete opera, could be a full score, vocal score, complete sound recording)
  • Zauberflöte. Selections  (contains multiple sections--look at includes and contents for listings)
  • Zauberflöte. Ach, ich fühl's, es ist verschwunden. (a specific aria from the work)
  • Zauberflöte. Ouverture; arranged (only the overture and by looking at other notes in the record you can find that it is arranged for flute choir)

 Only those records with Zauberflote. are the complete opera. Title with something after the period indicates that it is a portion or arrangement of the complete piece.  

To search for a specific aria or section of a work such as Zauberflöte. Ach, ich fühl's, es ist verschwunden, you should include the terms from the aria title and you could the specific aria.

Note: For recordings of an opera or any piece of music, not every aria or section is listed in the Includes or Contents. You may still find it useful and often necessary to search for the complete work by the title used for the complete work.

Title Search: Summary and Exercise

The 4 sections above discussed that complicated nature of music titles and how to search them 

  1. Distinctive Music Title: a unique name given by the composer.
  2. Form Music Title: generic forms (symphonies, sonatas, concertos, quartets, etc.) and can include numbers (opus #, catalog numbers #, i.e. BWV, Kochel, Hoboken, etc.) and keys (A minor, G major, etc.).
  3. Collective Music Title: These are generic forms titles that are used when the score or sound recording is a collection of pieces.
  4. Sections of a Work: many works are grouping of sections, arias, or portions of a work which also have their own title

Strategies for Searching 

Step 1 - Begin using the search terms you know

Step 2 - Review results list and look at individual record(s)

  • Limit by format (book, score, audio, video, etc.) to view the type(s) of items you want

Step 3 - Look at the 'Details' section of an individual record

  • Look for at the Uniform title and Includes fields to find the 'official' title used in the catalog

  • Look at the Contents, Summary, and Physical Description fields for more information about the item

Step 4 - Use the Advance Search to develop a more comprehensive search

  • Use separate search lines for each search idea or concept

  • Use OR within a search line to search terms or titles for the same work.

 

Searching Music Titles: Exercises

1a. What is the 'Uniform Title' for The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky?

 

1b. Are there any other title spellings or composer spellings that may be used for a search either in the catalog or other online databases?


 


2. What is the Uniform Title for Schubert's Trout Quintet?

 


3a. What is the Uniform Title for Debussy's Clair de lune? (give the specific uniform title which includes the terms clair de lune').

 

3b. What does the period in the middle of the full uniform title tell you?

 


4. What is a Collective Uniform title you may see for scores and/or sound recordings which include the popular piano piece Clair de lune ?

 


Click for Answers for Title Search Exercise