Many musical works have titles that actually are the names of forms or types of compositions ("sonatas," "concertos," "symphonies," and so forth). In these cases, the name of the form of the work is used as the first word of the preferred title. In the introductory Beethoven symphony examples you saw that each preferred title began with the word "Symphonies":
| Name | Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. | ||
| Preferred Title | Symphonies, no. 3, op. 55, E♭ major | ||
| Title Page | Symphonie III, Es dur : Eroica, op. 55 / Ludwig van Beethoven. | ||
| Publication | Wien : Wiener Philharmonischer Verlag, [192-?] | ||
| Name | Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. | ||
| Preferred Title | Symphonies, no. 3, op. 55, E♭ major | ||
| Title Page | Symphony no. 3, Eroica, op. 55 in E flat major / Ludwig van Beethoven. | ||
| Publication | New York : Kalmus, [196-?] | ||
| Name | Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. | ||
| Preferred Title | Symphonies, no. 3, op. 55, E♭ major | ||
| Title Page | Sinfonie Nr. 3, Es-dur: Sinfonia eroica, op. 55 | ||
| Publication | Wiesbaden : Breitkopf & Härtel, [197-?] | ||
Some other form names commonly used in preferred titles are:
Concertos
Duets… (or "Trios", "Quartets", etc.)
Etudes …
Masses
Sonatas
Suites …
Symphonies …
Variations …
Following the name of the form in the preferred title come the names of the instruments (or voices) that perform the work:
| Correct | Incorrect | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Quartets, strings, no. 3 | String quartets, no. 3 | ||
| Concertos, piano, orchestra | Piano concertos | ||
| Sonatas, flute, piano | Flute, piano sonatas | ||
| Variations, piano | Piano variations |
Sometimes the medium of performance is implied by the name of the form. For example, "Symphonies" implies performance by an orchestra; "Songs" implies performance by a solo voice with keyboard accompaniment. In such cases the names of the performing instruments or voices are omitted from the preferred title:
| Correct | Incorrect | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Symphonies, no. 5 | Symphonies, orchestra, no. 5 | ||
| Songs | Songs, voice, piano | ||
| Chorale preludes | Chorale preludes, organ |
After the name of the form and the medium of performance (if necessary), appropriate number(s) and key (tonality) are added as required to identify the individual composition, and to complete the preferred title. The numbering may be sequential ("Symphonies, no. 3"), or may be a number scheme particularly associated with the works of the composer.
Remember: Form, instrument(s)/voice(s), number, key
| Name | Schubert, Franz, 1797-1828. | ||
| Preferred Title | Quartets, strings, D.173, G minor ... ["Deutsch" catalog number and key signature] | ||
| Name | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791. | ||
| Preferred Title | Concertos, piano, orchestra, K. 488, A major ... ["Köchel" catalog number and key signature] | ||
| Name | Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827. | ||
| Preferred Title | Symphonies, no. 5, op. 67, C minor ... [Symphony number, opus number, and key signature] |
Note: In the final example it is unnecessary to name the orchestra as the performing ensemble, because it is implied by the name of the form, "Symphonies".
Warning! Some compositions in this category are also known by popular, descriptive names, like Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata for piano, or Haydn's "Surprise" symphony. Such as name is not used in a preferred title unless it is the composer's own, original title for the work (e.g., Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique). If by error you search under a popular title, you will retrieve only those editions for which the popular title actually is printed on the publication. Other editions that omit the popular title, or print it in a different language, will not be found.
This is one reason why we always advise you to search for music by the composer's name, then scroll down the list of titles. Within the list of titles (what librarians call a "browse list"), you will usually find a cross reference from popular or variant titles that will lead you to the correct preferred title, as in the following examples:
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827.
Moonlight sonata -- See Sonatas, piano, no. 14, op. 27, no. 2, C# minor
Haydn, Joseph, 1732-1809.
Surprise symphony -- See Symphonies, H. I, 94, G major
To repeat, the order of elements in a form-type preferred title is:
1. Form name
2. Instrument(s) and/or voice(s)
3. Number(s) (Opus or other number)
4. Tonality
Name of the key signature is omitted if the tonality of the work is ambiguous.