Abkuerzungen: abbreviations
Anmerkung: remarks/observations
Ausgaben: editions
Autograph: manuscript written in the hand of a particular person; in normal musical parlance, the manuscript of a work in the hand of its composer
Band: volume
Bearbeitungen: arrangements
Begleitung: accompaniment
Besetzung: instrumentation
Briefe: Letters (correspondence)
Buhnenwerke: Stage works
Druck: print
Faksimile: exact copy (usually of a manuscript)
Handschrift: manuscript
Holograph: sometimes used to distinguish a manuscript wholly in the hand of its author or composer
Kammermusik: chamber music
Klaviermusik: piano music
Kirchenmusik: church music
Kritischer bericht: critical commentary
Lieder: songs
Literatur: articles/studies about work
Manuscript: source that is written by hand
Mehrstimmige Gesange: Songs for multiple voice parts
Opera Omnia: all works
Opus Zahl: Opus (work) number
Orchesterwerke: Orchestral works
Oeuvres completes: complete works
Partituren: scores
Quellen: sources
Reihe: Row or series
Sammtlicher: collected
Skizzen: sketches
Stimmen: voices/parts
Takte: measures
Thematisches-Verzeichnis: thematic catalog, inventory
Teil: part
Vergleiche (Vgl.): see also, compare
Werke: works
Widmung: dedication (gewidmet= dedicated to)
The Library of Congress' M classification numbers are used for collections of music by various composers (M1, M2, M5-) and for editions of a composer's complete works (M3). Within these numbers/classifications, the music is arranged further by the medium of the performance (i.e. instrumental or vocal works). Instrumental works - M5 - M1450, and vocal works - M1495 - 2199.
Musical dictionaries, encyclopedias, bibliographies (especially of repertoire), and bio-bibliographies
Start with a keyword search.
In the Quick Search box, type in the composer and title.
If you have incomplete information, use the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians accessible from Oxford Music to locate more.
Keyword searching: composer or performer, title, publisher, or instrument
Subject searching: try searching by type of music (jazz, folk, chamber, etc.), type of musician (singers, composers, etc.), geographic region, or time period.
Use the facets (limiters/filters) on the search results page to narrow your search.
Search by the preferred title.
Preferred titles (formerly called Uniform Titles) - a preferred title is used to link editions of the same work. This is helpful since music exists in many formats and is published in multiple languages.
Facets
Facets help to narrow a search. For example, use the facet for Material Type and select Score, if you are looking for sheet music.
Other helpful facets for music scholars include the Language facet and Author/Creator facet.
In the image above, I searched Quick Search using the name of the composer and a keyword from the title. I then used the facets on the left hand side of the results page to limit by Material Type. In this case, I selected Scores.
Scores ("M"):
Mini-scores - for study purposes
Full scores - for study or conducting
Scores & parts - for chamber music
Piano reductions - of ballets, symphonies
Piano-vocal scores - reductions of operas, oratorios, cantatas
Vocal scores - for solo voice or voice with piano accompaniment