ENGLISH AND GERMAN
TERMS FOR
RESEARCH IN MUSIC
ENGLISH TERMS
Abstract: A summary of an article in a journal or magazine or a chapter in a book. Abstracts are
found in indexes, such as RILM Abstracts, to help determine if the article or book chapter contains
needed information.
Annotation: A brief description, evaluation or explanation of an article, book, database or other
publication.
Anthology: A collection created from a variety of musical sources, usually containing excerpts
from a variety of composers.
Archives: Public records or historical documents, or the place where such records and
documents are kept.
Autograph: A manuscript in the composer’s own hand.
Bibliography: In general, a list of works. Some bibliographies list the holdings of a particular
collection, while others list sources relevant to a particular topic or area of study.
Citation: A written reference to a specific work or portion of a work which clearly identifies the
place in which the work is to be found.
Collected Editions (Collected Works): Music publications representing a complete repertory
of a composer, era, or other unifying factor. These are typically scholarly or critical editions.
o Complete Edition or Gesamtausgabe: Complete works of a single composer.
o Monuments or Denkmäler: Multi-volume series compiled from the same sources.
Often includes the works of several different composers.
Complete Edition: Complete works of a single composer. In German: Gesamtausgabe
Copyright: Literary, artistic, dramatic, and musical property protection, established to assure that
the creator gets financial reward for the sale and distribution of his or her work.
Critical Notes / Critical Report: Material accompanying a musical score, usual a volume within
a Collected Edition. Typically includes a review of the sources and a comparative readings
table showing the differences among the sources consulted. In German: Kritische Bericht
Dissertation: Studies based on original research and written in fulfillment of requirements for a
doctoral degree.
Edition: A version of a musical work. In German: Ausgabe
Facsimile: Reproduction of a primary source, such as a manuscript, usually without editorial
comment.
Festschrift: A book of writings collected in honor of a scholar, usually presented to acknowledge
a special occasion in his or her life.
Finding Aid: A guide used to provide background information about archival materials, explain
how they are organized, and identify items of interest to the researcher.
First Edition: Generally, The earliest version of a work.
Full Text: The complete text of a book or article, rather than a summary or abstract.
Historical Editions: In general, publications covering past repertory of a specific composer,
musical period or other criteria.
Incipit: The first few notes or measures with which a piece of music begins. Incipits are often
given in thematic catalogs in order to positively identify a piece of music.
Index: A guide to the contents of a publication or group of publications. Can be found in the back
section of a book or as a separate volume, or volumes. May also refer to an online reference
database (such as the Music Index).
ISBN: International Standard Book Number. A unique 10 or 13 digit code assigned to the specific
edition of a book before it is published.
ISSN: International Standard Serial Number. A unique 8 digit code assigned to a specific serial
title.
JSTOR – The Music Collection: Searchable electronic database containing back runs of titles
dedicated to scholarly research and theory in the field of music. Provides citations, journal
descriptions as well as full-text of several articles (see JSTOR’s “Moving Wall” policy for more
details).
 To access: Go to the Library website and click on “Internet Resources”.
Manuscript: Literally, handwritten material. A document or written composition that has not been
printed or edited. Often meant to describe an author's written original as distinguished from a
printed, published or edited version of the same material. In German: Handschrift
Microfiche: A photographic record on a reduced scale of printed material on a flat sheet of film.
Microfilm: A photographic record on a reduced scale of printed material on a roll or reel of film.
Monograph: A scholarly book, article or paper on a specific, often limited, subject. Intended to be
published only once.
Monuments: Multi-volume series compiled from the same sources. Often includes the works of
several different composers. In German: Denkmäler.
Music Index: A searchable electronic database containing citations from music periodicals.
 To access: Go to the Library website and click on “Internet Resources”.
Practical or Performance Edition: A music publication intended for performance. Primary
sources are not necessarily used and editorial changes are made to accommodate modern
performance practice.
Primary Source: A primary source is firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic
or area of study.
RILM (Répertoire International de Littérature Musicale): A searchable electronic database
containing citations and abstracts of music Literature.
 To access: Go to the Library website and click on “Internet Resources”.
RIPM (Répertoire international de la presse musicale): An international annotated
bibliography of writings on musical history and culture, found in music periodicals published in
seventeen countries between approximately 1800 and 1950.
RISM: International Inventory of Musical Sources after 1600: Contains bibliographic
records of music manuscripts written after 1600. The records include information in standard
bibliographic categories as well as graphical images of over 506,000 musical incipits.
Scholarly or Critical Edition: A music publication intended for study. “Prepared on the basis of
a critical evaluation of all known primary sources, this class of edition is designed to present the
most authoritative authentic version of its contents, with editorial material clearly distinguished from
the original”-Grove Music Online
Score: Printed music in which all the parts are seen together (not in parts). In German: Partitur.
Serial: A publication that is issued in successive parts, usually at regular intervals. Examples
include periodicals, journals, magazines, newspapers, annual reports, series, some conference
proceedings, and annual reviews.
Series: A group of related volumes published under a collective title. Each separate part may
have its own volume number and specific title.
Special Collections: Library materials that are not part of the open stacks. Most of these are
items other than normal books and periodicals, such as rare books, manuscripts, photographs
and historical artifacts that require special care and attention.
Style Manual: A guide which provides formats for typing footnotes and bibliographies.
Thematic Catalog: A list of compositions in a collection or of an individual composer, usually
arranged by opus or a specific numbering scheme (i.e., BWV numbers for Bach, K. (Köchel)
numbers for Mozart, etc.). Thematic catalogs typically contain incipits. In German: Verzeichnis.
GERMAN TERMS
Abt(h)eilung
section
Stimme
part (music)
Alte
old
teil
part (section)
Ausgabe
edition
Tonkunst
Band
volume
"tonal art" =
art music
bearbeitet
arranged
Unverändert
unchanged
Denkmäler
monument
Urtext
critical edition
Deutsche(r)
German
Verlag
Publisher
Verzeichnis
Index, catalog
Festschrift
a publication
"in honor of"
Vorgelegt
"presented by..."
edited by
Vorwort
forword
Werke
works
Werkgruppe
work group
Zeitschrift
periodical
Gesellschaft
association
Heft
part
Herausgegeben
edited or editor
Inhalt
contents
Kritischer
Bericht
critical report
Neuauflage
reprint
Neue
new
Österreich
Austria
ders.
ibid.
Partitur
score
usw.
etc.
Quellen
sources
jh.
century
Register
index
hrsg.
edited [by]
revidiert
revised
bearb.
edited, arranged [by]
Sach-
subject
sämtlicher
collected
Schweizerisch
Swiss
Serie
series
Common abbreviations: