Music Searches in ALEPH

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The ALEPH system, which is the basis of the University Libraries catalog, provides for two different types of searches: BROWSE and KEYWORD searches. The BROWSE search allows you to look for information by defined, controlled forms of identification of various aspects of the bibliographic records. The regular BROWSE search provides for searching TITLES, AUTHORS, SUBJECT HEADINGS, CALL NUMBERS, and SERIES.  (Note that TITLES includes the actual title-page titles of books and music as well as the uniform titles assigned to musical works. “Authors” includes authors, composers, editors, arrangers, illustrators, and performers–both individual performers and performing groups. “Series” includes journals and periodicals, publishers’ series titles [e.g., Norton Scores, Oxford Studies in Music, etc.], and sets such as the complete works and monuments of music sets.) The BROWSE search is the easiest way to find a particular piece of music if you know the composer and title.

The regular KEYWORD search looks for the presence of a word (or even a combination of letters or numbers) appearing anywhere within the bibliographic record. The advanced KEYWORD search allows you to specify where, within the record, the combination occurs. A further refinement of the KEYWORD search is the COMMAND LANGUAGE KEYWORD SEARCH, which allows an even more detailed specificity. (The COMMAND LANGUAGE is especially useful for searches for a particular medium of performance  (i.e., orchestration, arrangement, etc.) and musical form or genre.

    BROWSE AUTHOR SEARCH: Use this search for persons and groups involved in The creation of the work sought–authors, composers, librettists, translators, editors, arrangers, illustrators, performers (both individual and groups).
        If you know the composer of the work sought, use the BROWSE AUTHOR search;
enter the composer’s name, last name first (see example 1). If the collection includes works by this composer, the search will present a listing with the composer’s name and dates, followed by a repeat of the name and dates and a list of titles (these are uniform titles. From this point, you can “page down” to the work you seek or “jump” to it by typing (in the space at the top of the screen marked “Search Author”) the full name of the composer, including dates (just as shown in the list: you may omit the commas, but should include the dash), a period, and the first several letters of the title sought (see example 2).
        If you are seeking a performer, use the BROWSE AUTHOR search as above. Look for the person’s name (or the group’s) name with the indication “prf” (performer: vocal or instrumental) or “cnd” (conductor) after it. If the performer is also a composer, the “prf” or “cnd” indications will be included alphabetically in the listing of titles. Click on this line of the listing and you will be presented with a listing of all of the recordings on which this performer is included (see examples 3 and 4).
        If you want a composer/author/performer as an editor, arranger, etc., use the BROWSE AUTHOR search as above. Look among the titles listed for the indications “edt” (editor), “arr” (arranger), “ill” (illustrator), “lbt” (librettist), “chr” (choreographer), “com” (compiler), “drt” (director), “nrt” (narrator), or “wam” (writer of notes, preface, etc.). Click on the appropriate line and you will be presented with a list of works in which the composer had played a non-composing role (or, perhaps, an additional role) (see examples 5 and 6).

BROWSE TITLE SEARCH:

    Types of titles: In music, there are two types of titles: the title-page title and the uniform title. The title-page title refers to the title of an individual publication, recording, etc. (for instance, Fifth Symphony in C Minor, op. 67, The Critical Edition of the Complete Works, C Major Sonata for Piano, etc.). These titles may give an idea of the work contained in the publication, but they do not positively identify the musical content.
        The uniform title identifies the work contained in the publication and, by using the same uniform title for every publication including that work (regardless of the title-page title), makes it possible to locate all manifestations of the musical work at one point in the catalog. The uniform title is established according to a series of internationally accepted rules and is based on the title given the work by the composer. There are two types of uniform titles:
        1. A distinctive title: The work in question is the only work by the composer with that title (e.g., Ein Deutsches Requiem, Kaddish, Die Winterreise, Synchrony, etc.). The uniform title for a work with a distinctive title is the title given the work by the composer in the language used by the composer for the work.
        2. A nondistinctive title: The work is question is one of a series of works by the composer with essentially the same title, each of which is distinguished from others by key, number, medium of performance, etc. (e.g, Sonata, Symphony, Quartet, Mass, etc.) The uniform title for a work with a nondistinctive title is the title in English and in plural form, followed by (as appropriate) medium of performance, numbering given by the composer (or by an accepted thematic catalog, or key or tonality.

         The BROWSE TITLE search works well when searching for a title-page title or a distinctive uniform title. Nondistinctive uniform titles are best search in the Advanced Keyword Searches.

    BROWSE SUBJECT HEADING SEARCHES: The Music Collection is cataloged according to the rules of the Library of Congress Subject Heading Manual. Basically, subject headings are assigned by considering either the medium of performance (string quartet, orchestra, voice with piano, etc.) or the form or genre (sonata, suite, variations, etc.) of the musical work. The best way to find the appropriate heading(s) for the type of music you wish is identify by other means (BROWSE AUTHOR or BROWSE TITLE) a work in the same medium or genre that you wish and look at the subject heading(s) applied to that work. Then search the BROWSE SUBJECT HEADINGS using that exact form of subject heading. Always remember that, in music, a subject heading that is in the singular form (e.g., Symphony) will usually indicate a book about the subject which the plural form (Symphonies) indicates scores and recordings.

    BROWSE CALL NUMBER: Another way to locate music similar to a know piece is to use the classification number of a work you already know and find other works similar to it. The call number should be entered with a space between each element (e.g., M 242 .B63 op.16 E9 1998) and the period can be included or omitted. Your can search just the first element of the call number (e.g., M 242) or as much as you wish.

    BROWSE SERIES: You can search the bibliographic records for series by using this search.
    If you are looking for a complete works set, use the BROWSE SERIES search, and type in the box the composer’s name last name first. This will bring a list of all series that feature the works of that composer exclusively. The “complete works” have the title “Works” after the composer’s name (see example 7).

    If you are looking for a “monuments of music” set, use the BROWSE SERIES search, and enter the title of the series in the box (see example 8).

        OTHER BROWSE SEARCHES: Several other searches may be especially useful in music. By clicking the mouse on the “Browse Search” in the left-hand margin, this set will open to reveal “Numeric Searches” and “Other Searches.” The “Other Searches” is not particularly useful in music yet, but will be so in the near future. Under “Numeric Searches,” you can search International Standard Book Numbers, International Standard Music Numbers (assigned to each musical publication according to internationally agreed rules) and Music Publisher Numbers. The latter are the plate, publication, matrix, and manufacturer’s numbers assigned by publishers and recording manufacturers to control their own publications.

    The KEYWORD SEARCH allows you to perform a search that is either more complicated or less definable than the BROWSE search. If, for instance, you remember only an “interior” word of a title, the browse title or browse author will be of little assistance, but a keyword search can provide a solution, especially if the word in question is not a common one. Keyword searches are also used for nondistinctive uniform title searches.
        There are three levels of keyword searches, with a rising degree of specificity in the nature of the search. The basic keyword search allows you to indicate any number of words to be search and to indicate whether they should come from anywhere in the record (“All”) or from titles, authors (including composers, editors, arrangers, performers, etc.), or subject texts. You may also indicate whether the words should be adjacent to one another or may be from anywhere in the text. This works well for a nondistinctive uniform title search if you know enough of the uniform title of the work sought to find only the works you wish.(see example 9). The uniform title for the fifth symphony by Beethoven is Symphonies, no. 5, op. 67, C minor. “Symphonies” would find all the symphonies regardless of composer; “Symphonies no 5" would find all fifth symphonies; but “Symphonies no. 5 op. 67" is sufficient to find all records for this musical work)
        The advanced keyword search allows you to combine several different types of keyword search. The find the Beethoven fifth symphony this way, you might enter “Beethoven” and specify only in the author text and “Symphonies no. 5" only in the title text.
        The command keyword search allows you to be even more specific in the nature of the material you seek. By using three word codes (defined on the page allotted to the command search) you can narrow the field of search to exactly the item(s) desired. Two special command searches are the Medium of Performance (wmm=) and Musical Form or Genre (wmf=) command searches.

    MEDIUM OF PERFORMANCE COMMAND SEARCH: Special codes are assigned to each instrument of voice for which a musical composition is written or arranged (only those codes that represent the actual scoring or performing forces are entered). Each code is two letters in length and can be extended by adding a two-digit number to indicate the number
of performers so designated (e.g., ba indicates the French horn; ba01 indicates a single French horn player; ba03 indicates 3 French horn players)or by a question mark to indicate any number of performers (ba? indicates any number of French horn players, from one to an infinite number) . These codes can be searched by using the strategy:
 

wmm=[code]

More than one voice or instrument can be searched at the same time by combining “wmm” searches:

                                 wmm=[code 1st instrument or voice] and wmm=[code for 2nd] and ...

 A “wmm” search can be combined with all other types of command searches:

         wmm=wb? and wau=britten will search for the use of any number of oboes in the musical works of any composer named “Britten”
          wmm=kb02 and wau=schumann will search fir organ duets by composers named “Schumann.”
 

        Consult the table of the medium of performance codes and be certain to read to notes at the end of this table for complete demonstration of this search. For assistance or more information, contact Richard E. Jones, Music Librarian.

 

    MUSICAL FORM OR GENRE COMMAND SEARCH: Certain musical forms and genres are indicated by two-letter codes that are entered into bibliographic records when the cataloging is done. Many of these codes duplicate subject headings, but the command search is often more effective since one does not have to remember whether the heading is singular or plural or worry about spelling. There are in addition codes for more forms/genres than are included in the subject heading list (e.g., Fantasias, fancies, etc.). Form/Genre Command Searches are conducted using the strategy:
 

wmf=[code] More than one voice or instrument can be searched at the same time by combining “wmf” searches: wmf=[code 1st form/genre] and wmm=[code for 2nd] and ...

A “wmf” search can be combined with all other types of command searches:

         wmf=an? and wau=byrd will search for anthems among the musical works of any composer named “Byrd”
        wmf=ca and wau=Handel will search for chaconnes by composers named “Handel.”
        wmf=mr and wmm=kb? will search for marches for any number of organs.

         Consult the table of musical form/genre codes for a full list of appropriate codes. For assistance or more information, contact Richard E. Jones, Music Librarian.
 
 

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